Shloka 30
अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa
एष प्रयात्याधिरथि: सात्यके: स्यन्दनं प्रति
eṣa prayāty ādhirathiḥ sātyakeḥ syandanaṃ prati
Sañjaya said: “Behold—this mighty chariot-warrior is advancing toward Sātyaki’s chariot.” The line signals a decisive movement on the battlefield, where intent and direction matter as much as strength: a chosen target is approached, and the next clash will test resolve, duty, and restraint amid the violence of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of deliberate engagement: a warrior’s advance is purposeful, directed toward a chosen opponent. In the Mahābhārata’s war context, such moments underscore kṣatriya-dharma—courage and resolve—while also reminding that each aggressive step carries moral weight and consequences.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a prominent chariot-warrior is moving toward Sātyaki’s chariot, indicating an imminent confrontation focused on Sātyaki as the target.