Aśvatthāmā’s Stuti of Rudra and Śiva’s Empowerment (सौप्तिकपर्व, अध्याय ७)
कुर्वता तात सम्मान त्वां च जिज्ञासता मया | पज्चाला: सहसा गुप्ता मायाश्र बहुश: कृता:,“तात! उन्हींका सम्मान और तुम्हारी परीक्षा करनेके लिये मैंने पांचालोंकी सहसा रक्षा की है और बारंबार मायाओंका प्रयोग किया है
kurvatā tāta sammānaṁ tvāṁ ca jijñāsatā mayā | pāñcālāḥ sahasā guptā māyāś ca bahuśaḥ kṛtāḥ ||
三阇耶说道:“孩子啊,为了尊荣你,也为了试验你,我忽然护佑了般遮罗人,并屡次施用权谋计略。”
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the tension between honor and the use of māyā (stratagem/deception): even when one claims a motive of respect or examination, repeated resort to ruse raises ethical questions about means versus ends in wartime conduct.
Sañjaya reports that, to honor the addressed person and to test them, he ensured the Pāñcālas were suddenly kept safe/guarded and that he repeatedly used tactical devices (māyā) to manage the situation.