Shloka 49
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
शड्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषै: समन्तान्नेदिरे भूशम्,चारों ओर शंख और दुन्दुभि आदि बाजे जोर-जोरसे बजने लगे। इस प्रकार सूर्यास्तके समय दुरात्मा घटोत्कचसे खदेड़ी गयी आपकी सारी सेना सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें भाग गयी
śaṅkha-dundubhi-nirghoṣaiḥ samantān nedire bhūśam | cāroṃ ora śaṅkha aura dundubhi ādi bāje jora-jora se bajane lage | isa prakāra sūryāsta ke samaya durātmā ghaṭotkaca se khaderī gaī āpakī sārī senā sampūrṇa diśāoṃ meṃ bhāga gaī |
Sañjaya said: With the thunderous blare of conches and kettledrums, the earth resounded on every side. Thus, at sunset, your entire army—driven back by the fierce Ghaṭotkaca—broke and fled in all directions. The scene underscores how, in war, arrogance and unrighteous intent can collapse into panic when confronted by overwhelming force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of pride and the moral-psychological dimension of war: when a force perceived as unrighteous or overconfident meets a formidable opponent, cohesion collapses into fear, and the battlefield turns into a lesson on consequences.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that conches and drums are sounding loudly across the field, and that at sunset the Kaurava forces have been driven back by Ghaṭotkaca and are fleeing in all directions.