Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

सात्यकिं विरथं दृष्टवा कर्ण चाभ्युद्यतं रणे

Transliteration

sātyakiṁ virathaṁ dṛṣṭvā karṇaṁ cābhyudyataṁ raṇe

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing Sātyaki deprived of his chariot, and Karṇa standing ready with weapon raised for combat on the battlefield, the situation turned grave.

Word by Word

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki (as object)
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विरथम्: without a chariot, chariotless
• विरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• कर्णम्: Karna (as object)
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अभ्युद्यतम्: raised up, uplifted (ready/poised)
• अभ्युद्यतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-उद्-यम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)
• Karṇa
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral strain of warfare: when a fighter becomes viratha (without a chariot), the opponent’s response becomes a test of kṣatriya-dharma—whether to restrain oneself and fight fairly or to press advantage in the chaos of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a tense battlefield moment: Sātyaki is seen chariotless, while Karṇa is poised and ready to engage. The scene signals imminent danger for Sātyaki and sets up the next actions and reactions of the warriors around them.