Shloka 17

अलम्बुस-वधः

The Neutralization of Alambusa

Devanagari script

अक्षतै: सुमनोभिश्व वाचयित्वा महाभुज: । तान्‌ द्विजान्‌ मधुसर्पिरभभ्या फलै: श्रेष्ठे: सुमज्लै:

Transliteration

akṣataiḥ sumanobhiś ca vācayitvā mahābhujaḥ | tān dvijān madhu-sarpirbhyāṃ phalaiḥ śreṣṭhaiḥ su-maṅgalaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Le héros aux bras puissants, après avoir d’abord honoré ces brāhmanes avec des grains intacts et des fleurs parfumées, et les avoir fait réciter des bénédictions de bon augure, leur offrit ensuite avec dévotion—à ces « deux-fois-nés »—les meilleurs fruits, signes de fortune, ainsi que du miel et du beurre clarifié (ghṛta).

Word by Word

अक्षतैःwith unbroken rice grains

सुमनोभिःwith flowers

चand

वाचयित्वाhaving caused to recite / having had (them) recite

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed (one)

तान्those

द्विजान्Brahmins (twice-born)

मधुwith honey

सर्पिःwith ghee

अभभ्याःwith worthy/fit (offerings) (reading uncertain)

फलैःwith fruits

श्रेष्ठैःwith excellent (ones)

सुमाल्यैःwith fine garlands

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mahābhujaḥ (unnamed mighty-armed person)

dvijāḥ (Brahmins)

akṣata (unbroken grains)

sumanas (flowers)

madhu (honey)

sarpiḥ (ghee)

phala (fruits)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct through honoring Brahmins and sacred utterance (benedictions/mantras) and practicing proper hospitality with auspicious offerings—suggesting that ethical and ritual propriety should be maintained even in tense, war-bound circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that a mighty-armed figure performs an auspicious honoring of Brahmins: he offers akṣata and flowers, has them recite blessings, and then presents excellent fruits along with honey and ghee as respectful gifts.