Shloka 1
सौप्तिकपर्व — धृष्टद्युम्नसारथिवृत्तान्तः
Report of the Night Raid and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament
अपन बक। ] अति्शशाड< (ऐषीकपर्व) दशमो<ध्याय: धृष्टद्युम्नके सारथिके मुखसे पुत्रों और पांचालोंके वधका वृत्तान्त सुनकर युधिष्ठटिरका विलाप
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tasyāṃ rātryāṃ vyatītāyāṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnasya sārathiḥ | śaśaṃsa dharmarājāya sauptike kadanaṃ kṛtam ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Hari, nang lumipas ang gabing iyon, ang kutsero ni Dhṛṣṭadyumna ay nagbalita kay Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira tungkol sa paglipol na isinagawa sa kampo habang ang lahat ay natutulog.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the Sauptika event as a report delivered to Dharmarāja, implicitly highlighting the ethical weight of actions in war: deeds done outside accepted dharma (such as killing sleepers) may secure tactical success but generate moral crisis, grief, and accountability in the aftermath.
After the night ends, Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s charioteer approaches Yudhiṣṭhira and informs him about the carnage committed during the night while people were asleep—setting in motion Yudhiṣṭhira’s lament and the subsequent reactions described in the chapter.