Shloka 28

अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं राधेयमर्जुनस्य रथं प्रति

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṃ rādheyam arjunasya rathaṃ prati

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Karna (Rādheya), rushing forward in attack, bore down toward Arjuna’s chariot.”

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आपततन्तम्: falling/charging (towards)
• आपततन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (आ + पत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• राधेयम्: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनस्य: of Arjuna
• अर्जुनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Rādheya (Karṇa)
• Arjuna
• Arjuna’s chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the kṣatriya ethos of direct confrontation in war: Karṇa commits himself to decisive action against his foremost rival. Ethically, it underscores how personal enmity and vows intensify battlefield choices, testing restraint and discernment amid dharma-bound conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa (called Rādheya) is charging toward Arjuna’s chariot, signaling an imminent clash between two principal champions.