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Shloka 333

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

शरवर्षरकरुणा बालमेकमवाकिरन्‌ । शेष महारथी धनुष कट जानेपर अभिमन्युके ऊपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे। इस प्रकार शीघ्रता करनेके अवसरपर शीघ्रता करनेवाले छः निर्दय महारथी एक रथहीन बालकपर बाणोंकी बौछार करने लगे

śaravarṣa-rakaruṇā bālam ekam avākiran | śeṣā mahārathī dhanuṣ-kaṭa-jānepara abhimanyuke upari bāṇānāṁ varṣāṁ kartum ārabdhavantaḥ | evaṁ śīghratā-karaṇe ’vasare śīghratā-kartāraḥ ṣaḍ nirdāyā mahārathinaḥ ekaṁ rathahīnaṁ bālakaṁ prati bāṇa-bauṣāraṁ pracakruḥ |

قال سنجيا: أمطروه—ذلك الفتى الوحيد—بوابلٍ من السهام بلا رحمة. وشرع من بقي من عظماء فرسان العجلات، أهل القسيّ، يصبّون على أبهيمانيو دفعاتٍ متتابعة. وهكذا، في لحظةٍ كانت تتطلب سرعة الحسم، أطلق ستةٌ من المَهاراثي القساة عاصفةَ سهامٍ على صبيٍّ جُرِّد من عربته—صورةٌ لقوة الميدان وقد انقلبت اختلالًا في ميزان الأخلاق.

शरवर्षैःwith showers of arrows
शरवर्षैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशरवर्ष
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
करुणाःpitiless/cruel (men)
करुणाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकरुण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
बालम्the boy/youth
बालम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootबाल
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
एकम्alone/one
एकम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अवाकिरन्they showered/scattered down
अवाकिरन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअव√कॄ (किरति)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Abhimanyu
S
six mahārathas (unnamed group)
A
arrows (bāṇa)
B
bow (dhanus)
C
chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical collapse that can occur in war: when many powerful warriors collectively attack a single, vulnerable opponent (here, a chariotless youth), martial skill becomes morally compromised. It implicitly contrasts prowess with dharma—strength without compassion and fairness becomes cruelty.

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu being targeted by a concentrated barrage of arrows. Multiple elite warriors—six in number—coordinate their attack against him when he is alone and without his chariot, intensifying the sense of injustice and impending tragedy.