Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
न च सुप्तं प्रमत्तं वा न्यस्तशस्त्रं कृताउ्जलिम् | धावन्तं मुक्तकेशं वा हन्ति पार्थो धनंजय:
na ca suptaṁ pramattaṁ vā nyastaśastraṁ kṛtāñjalim | dhāvantaṁ muktakeśaṁ vā hanti pārtho dhanañjayaḥ ||
三阇耶说道:阿周那——帕尔塔、檀那阇耶、昆蒂之子——不击杀熟睡或疏忽之人,不击杀已弃置兵刃之人,不击杀合掌乞怜之人,不击杀逃奔之人,也不击杀披散头发以示无助之人。
संजय उवाच
Even in warfare, dharma imposes limits: a righteous warrior should not kill those who are defenseless—sleeping, careless, unarmed, supplicating with folded hands, fleeing, or visibly surrendering. Arjuna is presented as embodying this restraint.
In the Sauptika Parva context—where night-time slaughter and attacks on the unsuspecting are central—Sañjaya highlights Arjuna’s established conduct in battle, contrasting his standards with acts that violate the accepted code of combat.