Shloka 21
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
तावापतन्तौ सम्प्रेक्ष्य कालान्तकयमोपमौ । भीमसेनो महाबाहुर्गदामादाय सत्वरम्
tāv āpatantau samprekṣya kālāntaka-yamopamau | bhīmaseno mahābāhur gadām ādāya satvaram ||
Sañjaya dijo: Al ver a aquellos dos abalanzarse, semejantes a Yama y al Destructor del fin de los tiempos, Bhīmasena, de poderosos brazos, tomó al instante su maza—dispuesto a afrontar su embestida mortal con igual determinación.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya readiness and moral resolve in crisis: when confronted by overwhelming, death-like danger, a warrior does not collapse into fear but gathers strength and acts decisively, meeting violence with disciplined preparedness rather than panic.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment: two formidable opponents rush toward Bhīma with terrifying force, likened to Yama and the end-time destroyer. Seeing their charge, Bhīma quickly takes up his mace to counter them.