Shloka 30

अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa

with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

स्पर्थते हि महेष्वासो नित्यं द्रोणसुतेन सः । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं द्रौणिं विव्याध पत्रिणा

Transliteration

spardhate hi maheṣvāso nityaṃ droṇasutena saḥ | sa visphārya mahaccāpaṃ drauṇiṃ vivyādha patriṇā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: That great archer was ever in rivalry with Droṇa’s son. Drawing his mighty bow to its full stretch, he pierced Drauṇi with a feathered arrow—an act that reveals how personal enmity and competitive pride drive warriors to seek decisive advantage amid the moral turbulence of war.

Word by Word

स्पर्धतेcompetes, contends

हिindeed, for

महेष्वासःthe great archer

नित्यम्always

द्रोणसुतेनwith Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)

सःhe

विस्फार्यhaving stretched (twanged)

महत्great

चापम्bow

द्रौणिम्Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)

विव्याधpierced, struck

पत्रिणाwith an arrow (feathered one)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa

Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman, Drauṇi)

mighty bow (mahaccāpa)

feathered arrow (patriṇ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how rivalry (spardhā) and personal antagonism can intensify violence in war: even when fighting is framed as kṣatriya-duty, inner motives like pride and competition shape actions and can deepen the ethical strain of the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a renowned archer, continually competing with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), fully draws his great bow and strikes Aśvatthāman with a feathered arrow.