Shloka 42
भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103
ततस्ते भ्रातर: पड्च राक्षसेन्द्रं महाहवे । विव्यधुर्निशितैर्बाणैस्तपनीयवि भूषितै:,तदनन्तर उन पाँचों भाइयोंने उस महासमरमें सुवर्णभूषित तीक्ष्ण बाणोंद्वारा राक्षसराज अलम्बुषको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया
tatas te bhrātaraḥ pañca rākṣasendraṃ mahāhave | vivyadhur niśitair bāṇais tapanīya-vibhūṣitaiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then those five brothers, in that great battle, pierced the lord of the Rākṣasas with sharp arrows adorned with gold, grievously wounding him. The scene underscores the relentless momentum of war: even a formidable foe is met with coordinated force, where martial skill and unity become decisive amid the harsh demands of kṣatriya-duty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya context of the epic: in a righteous war, coordinated resolve and disciplined martial action are portrayed as necessary, even when the outcome is violent. It also emphasizes unity—five brothers acting together against a powerful adversary.
Sañjaya reports that the five Pāṇḍava brothers strike the rākṣasa-chief (Alambuṣa) in the thick of battle, piercing him with sharp, gold-adorned arrows and leaving him badly wounded.