Shloka 373
द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः
Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute
अष्टचक्रसमायुक्तमास्थाय प्रवरं रथम् । राजन्! उस समय राक्षसराज अलम्बुष आठ पहियोंसे युक्त श्रेष्ठ रथपर आरूढ़ हो उन दोनोंका सामना करनेके लिये आगे बढ़ आया
aṣṭacakrasamāyuktam āsthāya pravaraṁ ratham | rājan! tadā rākṣasarāja alambuṣaḥ aṣṭabhis cakraiḥ yukte śreṣṭhe rathe samāruhya tayor ubhayor yoddhum abhimukhaḥ prāgād āyayau ||
Sañjaya said: O King, at that moment the rākṣasa-king Alambuṣa mounted a splendid chariot fitted with eight wheels and advanced to confront those two. The scene underscores how, in the heat of war, formidable power and display of might are marshalled to challenge worthy opponents, intensifying the moral tension between valor and the destructive momentum of battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the war-ethic of direct confrontation: warriors deliberately seek worthy opponents, and outward signs of power (like a magnificent chariot) become instruments that intensify conflict. It invites reflection on how valor and pride can propel violence, testing dharma amid the momentum of battle.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the rākṣasa-king Alambuṣa mounts an excellent eight-wheeled chariot and advances to face ‘those two’ warriors, signaling an imminent clash and a rise in the battle’s ferocity.