Shloka 186
अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa
अवसीदन् रथोपस्थे प्राणान् पीडयतीव मे । “मैंने इच्छा न रहते हुए भी उन्हें बाणोंद्वारा अधिक चोट पहुँचायी है। वे रथकी बैठकमें पड़े-पड़े कष्ट पा रहे हैं और मुझे अत्यन्त पीड़ित-सा कर रहे हैं
avasīdan rathopasthe prāṇān pīḍayatīva me |
Ia terkulai di atas dudukan kereta, seakan-akan menghimpit napas hidupku sendiri. Meski tanpa kehendak, aku telah melukai mereka lebih parah dengan anak panahku; kini mereka tergeletak di kursi kereta dalam siksaan, dan penderitaan itu menusukku dengan duka yang amat dalam.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid righteous warfare, the epic foregrounds the moral cost of violence: the sight of an enemy’s suffering can awaken remorse and inner torment, reminding the listener that dharma is not merely victory but also restraint, empathy, and accountability for harm done.
Sañjaya reports a warrior collapsing onto the chariot-seat, overwhelmed; the speaker feels as if his own life-breaths are being crushed, because he has inflicted severe wounds with arrows and now witnesses the victims’ agony, which rebounds as intense personal anguish.