Shloka 23
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
तमुद्यतगद दृष्टवा कैलासमिव श्ज्धिणम् | कौरवो द्रोणपुत्रश्न सहितावभ्यधावताम्,उन्होंने हाथमें जो भारी गदा उठायी थी, वह रणभूमिमें यमदण्डके समान भयानक जान पड़ती थी। शृंगंधारी कैलास पर्वतके समान ऊपर गदा उठाये हुए भीमसेनको देखकर दुर्योधन और अश्वत्थामाने एक साथ उनपर धावा किया
tam udyata-gadaṁ dṛṣṭvā kailāsam iva śṛṅgiṇam | kauravo droṇa-putraś ca sahitāv abhyadhāvatām ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīmasena with his mace raised aloft—towering like the horned Mount Kailāsa—Duryodhana of the Kauravas and Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman together rushed to attack him. The scene underscores the war’s grim momentum: valor and fury surge forward in tandem, while the ethical weight of violence presses upon all who choose to strike.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial prowess and collective resolve drive warriors forward in battle, while implicitly reminding the listener that such force, though aligned with kṣatriya duty, carries grave ethical consequences in a dharma-conflicted war.
Bhīma stands with his mace raised high, compared to Mount Kailāsa; seeing this formidable stance, Duryodhana and Aśvatthāman jointly charge toward him to engage him in combat.