Shloka 11

अलम्बुस-वधः

The Neutralization of Alambusa

Devanagari script

राजहंसनिभं प्राप्य उष्णीषं शिथिलार्पितम्‌ | जलक्षयनिमित्त॑ वै वेष्टयामास मूर्थनि,तत्पश्चात्‌ राजहंसके समान सफेद ढीलीढाली पगड़ी लेकर माथेका जल सुखानेके लिये उसे मस्तकपर लपेट लिया

Transliteration

rājahaṃsanibhaṃ prāpya uṣṇīṣaṃ śithilārpitam | jalakṣayanimittaṃ vai veṣṭayāmāsa mūrdhani ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ayant obtenu un turban blanc comme un cygne royal, posé avec souplesse, il l’enroula autour de sa tête afin d’en sécher l’eau. Au milieu de la rudesse de la guerre, le vers s’attarde un instant sur un geste simple et pratique—retrouver calme et disponibilité par le soin de soi plutôt que par l’agression.

Word by Word

राजहंसनिभम्swan-like (resembling a royal swan)

प्राप्यhaving obtained

उष्णीषम्turban, head-wrap

शिथिलार्पितम्loosely placed/put on

जलक्षयनिमित्तम्for the purpose of drying off water

वैindeed, surely

वेष्टयामासwrapped (he wrapped)

मूर्धनिon (his) head

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

uṣṇīṣa (turban/head-wrap)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a violent and chaotic setting, disciplined attention to small necessities—drying oneself, arranging one’s attire—supports steadiness of mind and preparedness; restraint and composure can be as crucial as force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a person taking a loosely arranged, swan-white turban and wrapping it around the head specifically to dry off water, a brief practical interlude within the larger war narrative.