Shloka 30
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
स्पर्थते हि महेष्वासो नित्यं द्रोणसुतेन सः । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं द्रौणिं विव्याध पत्रिणा
spardhate hi maheṣvāso nityaṃ droṇasutena saḥ | sa visphārya mahaccāpaṃ drauṇiṃ vivyādha patriṇā ||
Sañjaya dit : Ce grand archer était sans cesse en rivalité avec le fils de Droṇa. Bandant son puissant arc jusqu’à pleine tension, il perça Drauṇi d’une flèche empennée.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how rivalry (spardhā) and personal antagonism can intensify violence in war: even when fighting is framed as kṣatriya-duty, inner motives like pride and competition shape actions and can deepen the ethical strain of the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports that a renowned archer, continually competing with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), fully draws his great bow and strikes Aśvatthāman with a feathered arrow.