Shloka 38
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
तथेतरे चाभ्यधावन् राक्षसा युद्धदुर्मदा: । उस बाणसे अधिक घायल हो जानेके कारण वे व्यथित हो रथके पिछले भागमें बैठ गये। नील मेघसमूहके समान श्याम वर्णवाले राजा नीलको अचेत हुआ देख अपने भाई- बन्धुओंसे घिरा हुआ घटोत्कच अत्यन्त कुपित हो युद्धमें शोभा पानेवाले अश्वत्थामाकी ओर बड़े वेगसे दौड़ा। उसके साथ ही दूसरे-दूसरे रणदुर्मद राक्षसोंने भी उसपर धावा किया || ३६-३७ ह || तमापतत्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसं घोरदर्शनम्
tath’etare cābhyadhāvan rākṣasā yuddha-durmadāḥ | tam āpatattaṃ samprekṣya rākṣasaṃ ghora-darśanam ||
Sañjaya said: Then the other rākṣasas too—made reckless by the intoxication of battle—rushed forward. Seeing that fearsome, dreadful-looking rākṣasa charging in, the warriors’ attention turned to the sudden surge of violent force on the battlefield, where wrath and loyalty to one’s own drove men beyond restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war inflames pride and rage (durmada), pushing fighters into reckless aggression; it implicitly warns that unchecked passions can eclipse discernment and restraint even amid duty.
Sañjaya reports that other rākṣasa warriors also charge forward, and attention is drawn to a terrifying rākṣasa rushing into the fight, intensifying the battle’s ferocity.