Shloka 21

अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa

Devanagari script

उपाकृत्य तु वै विद्यामाचार्ये भ्यो नरर्षभा:

Transliteration

upākṛtya tu vai vidyām ācāryebhyo nararṣabhāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Having duly received (and mastered) their learning from their teachers, those bull-like men (noble heroes)…”

Word by Word

• उपाकृत्य: having rendered/paid (service); having done (in attendance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वै: indeed/verily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• विद्याम्: knowledge; learning
• विद्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आचार्येभ्यः: from the teachers/preceptors
• आचार्येभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• नरर्षभाः: bulls among men; best of men
• नरर्षभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ācārya (teachers/preceptors)
• nararṣabhāḥ (foremost men/warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line foregrounds the dharmic ideal of learning received through proper discipleship: knowledge—especially martial and ethical discipline—is to be acquired respectfully from qualified teachers, and such training is presented as a mark of noble character.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing eminent warriors as having completed their instruction under their preceptors; the verse functions as a lead-in to subsequent actions in the war narrative, grounding their prowess and conduct in formal training.