substantive in the Sense of अतिघोरं कर्म-The most atrocious deed, A Euphemistic phrase used in reference to the slaughter of Drona, which, Out of reverence for his master he dare not name openly.
Translation':---(Can even these bear comparison, in fight with him (Drona ), the equal of the god, Shiva, himself, when enraged and armed with his most powerful missiles? It was when he had laid down his Weapon, his heart being overcome with Sorrow, that the enemy accomplished that foul atrocity on him.
The words अस्त्र and शस्त्र, Seem to ls: promiscuously used here, though, properly speaking, there is a distinction between them अन्न from अस—to throw or discharge, denotes a missile, while शस्त्र from शसू-to injure, denotes a weapon, like the sword or dagger, which is not discharged but held in the hand while being used, शस्त्र however, my apply even to a missile in its etymological sense.
St. IT, अश्वथामा हतः इति स्पष्टं उक्त्वा सत्यवाचा प्रथासूनुना शेषेगज इति किल स्वैरं व्याहृतम् । तत् श्रुत्वा दयिततनयः असौ तस्य राज्ञः प्रत्ययात् आजै शस्त्राणि नयनसलिलं चापि तुल्यं मुमोच ॥
पृथासुनुना शेषे गज इति स्वैरं व्याहृतम्--The son of Kunti (Yudhishthira) uttered, in a low, inaudible tone, the word, 'elephant' by way of supplementing (अश्वत्थामा हतः); he added, in an inaudible tone, the word, elephant, at the end. This is the generally accepted interpretation of the words. But the commentator seems to suggest a new interpretation ; according to which ‘शेष' means ' after the death' (of course, of Drona ) and ‘स्वैरं means without scruple, unhesitatingly. The commentator quotes his authority for ' death' as one of the meanings of 'शेष'. So the whole phrase would mean:--'Yudhishthira announced without hesitation after the death (of Drona) that the Ashvatthaman that was slain was the elephant. But the first interpretation appears to me better, because 'स्वैर' is probably used in opposition to ‘स्पष्टै' and, therefore, means inaudibly' and so ‘शेषे' means at the end or ' as supplement. 'स्वैर’ may mean ‘मन्द' or 'स्वछन्द'. Further 'तत्’ in तचछ्रुतत्वा' obviously refers to the whole of what Yudhishthira had said, including both the audible part and the inaudible part together, though the latter, being inaudible, was missed by the listener's
