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Shloka 903

अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa

दुर्मुखं प्रमुखे कृत्वा सततं चित्रयोधिनम्‌ । अब पुनः आपके ही अन्यायसे होनेवाले इस महान्‌ जनसंहारका वृत्तान्त सुनिये। भीमसेनने अबतक सदा विचित्र युद्ध करनेवाले दुर्मुख आदि आपके इकतीस पुत्रोंको मार गिराया है

sañjaya uvāca |

durmukhaṁ pramukhe kṛtvā satataṁ citrayodhinam |

Sanjaya berkata: “Menempatkan Durmukha di barisan depan—dia yang selalu bertempur dengan siasat yang beragam—dengarkan lagi kisah pembantaian besar ini yang lahir dari ketidakadilanmu sendiri. Bhimasena kini telah menjatuhkan Durmukha dan bersama dia tiga puluh satu putramu.”

दुर्मुखम्Durmukha (name), the ill-faced one
दुर्मुखम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्मुख
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
प्रमुखेin the front; at the forefront
प्रमुखे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमुख
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
कृत्वाhaving made/placed
कृत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Prior action (having done)
सततम्constantly, always
सततम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसतत
चित्रयोधिनम्the one who fights in a wondrous/varied manner
चित्रयोधिनम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootचित्रयोधिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Durmukha
B
Bhīmasena
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied addressee: 'your')
K
Kaurava sons (31, including Durmukha)

Educational Q&A

The passage frames mass violence as the bitter consequence of adharma: a ruler’s or party’s injustice (anyāya) ripens into collective ruin. Sañjaya’s ethical emphasis is that wrongdoing at the level of policy and character can culminate in irreversible human loss.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīmasena has killed the Kaurava warrior Durmukha and, in the same sweep of events, has brought down thirty-one of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons—presenting it as part of the escalating devastation of the war.