Shloka 11
Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance
रथाभ्यां रथिनौ श्रेष्ठी यथा वै देवदानवौ । फिर तो वे मनुष्य तथा राक्षस दोनों वीर तुरंत ही युद्धस्थलमें एक-दूसरेसे भिड़ गये। दोनों ही रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ थे, अतः देवता और दानवकी भाँति रथोंद्वारा एक-दूसरेका सामना करने लगे ।।
sañjaya uvāca | rathābhyāṃ rathinau śreṣṭhī yathā vai devadānavau | māyāvī rākṣasaśreṣṭho divyāstrajñaiś ca phālguniḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then those two foremost chariot-warriors closed upon one another on their chariots, like a god and a demon meeting in combat. The best of the rākṣasas, Alambusha, was a master of illusion; and Phalguni’s son Abhimanyu was skilled in the knowledge and use of celestial weapons. Thus, each relying on his own power—deception on one side and disciplined martial knowledge on the other—they engaged in battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two kinds of power in war: māyā (deceptive illusion) and divyāstra-jñāna (disciplined, sanctioned martial knowledge). Ethically, it highlights that prowess is not merely force but also the manner of fighting—skill aligned with rightful training and duty is set against trickery and delusion.
Sanjaya describes a chariot-to-chariot engagement: the Rakshasa Alambusha, famed for illusion, confronts Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son, who is trained in celestial weapons. They meet like a deva and a dānava in direct combat, signaling an intense duel between two elite warriors.