Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Stuti of Keśava and Counsel on Nara–Nārāyaṇa (भीष्म-स्तवः; नरनारायण-प्रसङ्गः)
ततो रथानां प्रमुखादुपेत्य सर्वस्त्रवित् काउ्चनचित्रवर्मा | जवेन शूरो5भिससार सर्वा- स्तानर्जुनस्यात्मसुतो$भिमन्यु:,तदनन्तर सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता, सोनेके विचित्र कवच धारण करनेवाले शूरवीर अर्जुनपुत्र अभिमन्युने एक श्रेष्ठ रथके द्वारा वेगपूर्वक वहाँ पहुँचकर उन समस्त कौरव महारथियोंपर धावा किया अथैनं पज्चविंशत्या क्षिप्रमेव समार्पयत् । अश्वांश्वास्यावधीद् राजन्नुभौ तौ पार्ष्णि सारथी राजन! तत्पश्चात् उन्होंने शीघ्र ही पचीस बाणोंसे शलपुत्रको घायल कर दिया तथा उसके घोड़ों एवं दोनों पृष्ठरक्षकोंको भी मृत्युके मुखमें डाल दिया
tato rathānāṃ pramukhād upetya sarvāstravit kāñcanacitravarmā | javena śūro 'bhisasāra sarvāṃs tān arjunasya ātmasuto 'bhimanyuḥ || tadanantaraṃ sampūrṇāstrāṇāṃ jñātā sone ke vicitra kavaca dhāraṇa karanevālā śūravīra arjunaputra abhimanyune eka śreṣṭha rathake dvārā vegapūrvaka vahāṃ pahuṃcakara una samasta kaurava mahārathiyoṃpara dhāvā kiyā | athainaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā kṣipram eva samārpayat | aśvān āsyāvad hīd rājan ubhau tau pārṣṇisārathī || rājan! tatpaścāt unhoṃne śīghra hī pacīsa bāṇoṃse śalyaputrako ghāyal kara diyā tathā usake ghoṛoṃ evaṃ donoṃ pṛṣṭharakṣakoṃko bhī mṛtyuke mukhameṃ ḍāla diyā ||
Sañjaya said: Then, coming up to the very front of the chariots, Abhimanyu—Arjuna’s own son, a master of every weapon and wearing a wondrous golden cuirass—charged with great speed at all those Kaurava great chariot-warriors. After that, he swiftly struck Śalya’s son with twenty-five arrows, and, O King, he also slew his horses and the two rear-guard attendants of that chariot.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-dharma as disciplined mastery and fearless engagement at the front line, while implicitly reminding the reader that even rightful duty in war entails severe harm—an ethical tension central to the Mahābhārata’s portrayal of battle.
Abhimanyu, described as a complete master of weapons and splendidly armored, rushes to the forefront and attacks the Kaurava great chariot-warriors; he then quickly wounds Śalya’s son with twenty-five arrows and kills the horses and the two rear-guard attendants of that chariot.