Shloka 15
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
कृपाचार्य, भूरिश्रवा, शल्य, अश्व॒त्थामा, विविंशति, चित्रसेन, विकर्ण, सिंधुराज जयद्रथ, बृहदबल तथा अवन्तीके राजकुमार महाथधनुर्धर विन्द और अनुविन्द--इन सबने दुर्योधनको उसकी रक्षाके लिये सब ओरसे घेर लिया ।। ते विंशतिपदं गत्वा सम्प्रहारं प्रचक्रिरे । पाण्डवा धार्तराष्ट्राश्न परस्परजिघांसव:,वे बीस कदम आगे बढ़कर प्रहार करने लगे, फिर तो पाण्डव तथा कौरव योद्धा एक- दूसरेको मार डालनेकी इच्छासे युद्ध करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | kṛpācāryo bhūriśravāḥ śalya aśvatthāmā viviṁśatiś citraseno vikarṇaḥ sindhurājo jayadratho bṛhadbalaś tathā avantīke rājakumārau mahādhanuṣdharau vindaś cānuvindaś ca—ete sarve duryodhanaṁ rakṣārthaṁ sarvataḥ paryavārayām āsuḥ || te viṁśatipadaṁ gatvā samprāhāraṁ pracakrire | pāṇḍavā dhārtarāṣṭrāś ca parasparajighāṁsavaḥ yuddham āceruḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Kṛpācārya, Bhūriśravas, Śalya, Aśvatthāmā, Viviṁśati, Citrasena, Vikarṇa, the Sindhu king Jayadratha, Bṛhadbala, and the two Avanti princes—Vinda and Anuvinda, mighty archers—all surrounded Duryodhana on every side to protect him. Advancing about twenty paces, they began the clash of weapons; then the Pāṇḍava and Dhārtarāṣṭra warriors fought with mutual intent to kill, as the battle’s fury tightened around the guarded king.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of loyalty and protective duty: elite warriors close ranks around their leader, showing how kṣatriya-dharma can manifest as organized guardianship—yet it also exposes the moral peril of war, where protection and strategy quickly become mutual intent to kill.
A group of prominent Kaurava-aligned fighters encircle Duryodhana to defend him. They then advance a short distance and begin close combat; immediately the Pāṇḍava and Kaurava forces engage with lethal determination.