Shloka 40

चित्रसेनो विकर्णश्न राजन्‌ दुर्मर्षणस्तथा । रथिनो हेमसंनाहा: सौभद्रमभिदुद्रुवु:,राजन्‌! इसी समय चित्रसेन, विकर्ण तथा दुर्मर्षण--इन तीन रथियोंने सोनेके कवच बाँधकर सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युपर धावा किया

sañjaya uvāca |

citraseno vikarṇaś ca rājan durmarṣaṇas tathā |

rathino hemasaṃnāhāḥ saubhadram abhidudruvuḥ ||

Sañjaya sprach: O König, Citraseṇa, Vikarṇa und ebenso Durmarṣaṇa — diese drei Wagenkämpfer, in goldene Rüstungen gehüllt, stürmten geradewegs auf Saubhadra (Abhimanyu) los. In der Glut der Schlacht zeigt ihr abgestimmter Angriff, wie die Vielen sich gegen den Einen wenden und damit sowohl die Kriegerpflicht als auch die Ethik des fairen Kampfes auf die Probe stellen.

चित्रसेनःChitrasena
चित्रसेनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचित्रसेन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विकर्णःVikarna
विकर्णः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविकर्ण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
दुर्मर्षणःDurmarshana
दुर्मर्षणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्मर्षण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाand also
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
रथिनःchariot-warriors
रथिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हेमसंनाहाःwearing golden armor
हेमसंनाहाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootहेम-संनाह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सौभद्रम्the son of Subhadra (Abhimanyu)
सौभद्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसौभद्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अभिदुद्रुवुःrushed/charged towards
अभिदुद्रुवुः:
TypeVerb
Rootद्रु (धावने)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural
राजन्O king
राजन्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
C
Citraseṇa
V
Vikarṇa
D
Durmarṣaṇa
A
Abhimanyu (Saubhadra)
G
golden armour (hema-saṃnāha)
C
chariot-warriors (rathin)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension: battlefield duty and courage are praised, yet the narrative also invites reflection on restraint and fairness when multiple elite warriors converge upon a single opponent. It frames war not only as strategy but as a moral arena where conduct (dharma) is continually tested.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that three prominent Kaurava chariot-warriors—Citraseṇa, Vikarṇa, and Durmarṣaṇa—armoured in gold, rush together to attack Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadrā, intensifying the press of combat around him.