Shloka 47
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
युध्यध्वं मा पलायध्वं मायैषा राक्षसी रणे | घटोत्कचप्रमुक्तेति नातिष्ठन्त विमोहिता:,यह सब देखकर आपकी सेना शिविरकी ओर भाग चली। राजन्! उस समय मैं और देवव्रत भीष्म भी पुकार-पुकारकर कह रहे थे--“वीरो! युद्ध करो। भागो मत। रणभूमिमें तुम जो कुछ देख रहे हो, वह घटोत्कचद्वारा छोड़ी हुई राक्षसी माया है।” परंतु वे अचेत होनेके कारण ठहर न सके
yudhyadhvaṁ mā palāyadhvaṁ māyaiṣā rākṣasī raṇe | ghaṭotkaca-pramukteti nātiṣṭhanta vimohitāḥ ||
Sanjaya said: “Fight—do not flee! What you see on this battlefield is a rākṣasa-like illusion, released by Ghaṭotkaca.” Yet, bewildered and robbed of clear judgment, they could not stand their ground.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and delusion (moha) can collapse resolve in crisis. Ethical steadiness in battle—holding one’s duty and discernment—requires seeing through deceptive appearances and not abandoning one’s post out of panic.
Amid the chaos of battle, a terrifying illusion is perceived as a real threat. Sanjaya reports that the leaders urge the troops not to flee, explaining that it is a demonic illusion released by Ghaṭotkaca; nevertheless, the soldiers, mentally overwhelmed, fail to stand firm.