Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

वृषसेन: कर्णसुत: शल्यो मद्राधिपस्तथा । द्रोणपुत्रश्न शैनेयं सर्वतः पर्यवारयन्‌

Transliteration

Vṛṣasenaḥ Karṇasutaḥ Śalyo Madrādhipas tathā | Droṇaputraś ca Śaineyaṁ sarvataḥ paryavārayan ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Vṛṣasena, Karṇa’s son, and Śalya, lord of Madra, together with Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman), surrounded Śaineya on every side.

Word by Word

• वृषसेनः: Vrishasena
• वृषसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्णसुतः: son of Karna
• कर्णसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णसुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यः: Shalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मद्राधिपः: lord of Madra
• मद्राधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्राधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• द्रोणपुत्रः: son of Drona (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रोणपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शैनेयम्: the son of Shini (Satyaki)
• शैनेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैनेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• पर्यवारयन्: surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृणोति/वृ)
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• वृषसेन (Vṛṣasena)
• कर्ण (Karṇa)
• शल्य (Śalya)
• मद्र (Madra)
• द्रोण (Droṇa)
• द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामा (Aśvatthāman)
• शैनेय / सात्यकि (Śaineya / Sātyaki)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, collective force and tactical encirclement can be used to neutralize a formidable warrior. Ethically, it points to the tension between ideals of single combat and the pragmatic, often harsh realities of battlefield strategy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Vṛṣasena (Karṇa’s son), Śalya (king of Madra), and Aśvatthāman (Droṇa’s son) together surround Śaineya (Sātyaki) from all directions, indicating a coordinated attempt to overwhelm him.