Shloka 27
अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa
धिगस्तु मम वार्ष्णेय यदस्मै प्रहराम्पहम् । 4ार्ष्णेय! युद्धमें कभी पीठ न दिखानेवाले उन परम पूजनीय गौतमवंशी कृपाचार्यको मेरा नमस्कार है। मैं जो उनपर प्रहार करता हूँ, इसके लिये मुझे धिक्कार है” ।। तथा विलपमाने तु सव्यसाचिनि तं प्रति
dhig astu mama vārṣṇeya yad asmai praharāmy aham | vārṣṇeya! yuddhe kadācid pīṭhaṁ na darśayitāraṁ tān parama-pūjanīyān gautama-vaṁśīyaṁ kṛpācāryaṁ me namaskāraḥ | ahaṁ yo 'smin praharāmi, etat-kṛte māṁ dhig astu || tathā vilapamāne tu savyasācini taṁ prati |
Sañjaya said: “Shame upon me, O Vārṣṇeya, that I strike at him! O Vārṣṇeya—my salutations to the supremely venerable Kṛpācārya of Gautama’s lineage, who never turns his back in battle. Since I am the one who attacks him, let me be condemned for it.” Thus, while Arjuna, the ambidextrous archer, lamented toward him in this way, the narrative continued.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid righteous warfare, the epic foregrounds inner ethical tension: striking a revered elder-teacher can feel blameworthy, and the warrior’s conscience wrestles with duty versus reverence.
Sañjaya reports a moment of lament: Arjuna, addressing Kṛṣṇa as Vārṣṇeya, condemns himself for attacking the venerable Kṛpācārya of Gautama’s line, praising Kṛpa’s steadfast valor and offering salutations even while fighting.