Shloka 13
जटासुरके पुत्रका नाम अलम्बुष था। उस विशालकाय राक्षसने दुर्योधनसे “तथास्तु/ कहकर भीमसेनपुत्र घटोत्कचको ललकारा और उसके ऊपर नाना प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी ।। अलनम्बुषं च कर्ण च कुरुसैन्यं च दुस्तरम् । हैडिम्बि: प्रममाथैको महावातो<म्बुदानिव,अभियाति द्रुतं कर्ण तद् वारय महारथम् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन! युद्धस्थलमें इस प्रकार कर्णका वध करनेकी इच्छासे उद्यत हुए घटोत्कचको सूतपुत्रके रथकी ओर आते देख आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनने दःशासनसे इस प्रकार कहा--'भाई! यह राक्षस रणभूमिमें कर्णका वेगपूर्वक पराक्रम देखकर तीव्र गतिसे उसपर आक्रमण कर रहा है; अतः उस महारथी घटोत्कचको रोको
sañjaya uvāca | jaṭāsurakasya putro nāmālaṃbuṣaḥ sa viśālakāyo rākṣaso duryodhanam “tathāstu” iti pratijñāya bhīmasenaputraṃ ghaṭotkacaṃ lalakāra, tasya copari nānāvidhāstrāṇāṃ śastrāṇāṃ ca varṣam ārabdhavān | alaṃbuṣaṃ ca karṇaṃ ca kuru-sainyaṃ ca dustaram haidimbir ekaḥ pramamātha mahā-vāto ’mbudān iva | abhiyāti drutaṃ karṇa tad vārayā mahāratham |
Sañjaya said: The huge-bodied rākṣasa Alambuṣa, son of Jaṭāsura, having answered Duryodhana with “So be it,” challenged Ghaṭotkaca, the son of Bhīmasena, and began to shower him with many kinds of weapons. Ghaṭotkaca, like a mighty wind scattering clouds, struck down Alambuṣa, Karṇa, and the hard-to-cross Kuru host. Seeing Ghaṭotkaca rushing swiftly toward Karṇa with the intent to kill him, Duryodhana said to Duḥśāsana: “Brother, this rākṣasa is charging at Karṇa with great speed; therefore restrain that great chariot-warrior.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a wartime ethical tension: leaders prioritize protecting pivotal champions (here Karṇa) and react with urgency when a formidable opponent threatens them. It also shows how fear and attachment to victory can drive escalation, drawing more fighters into violence rather than seeking restraint.
Alambuṣa challenges Ghaṭotkaca and attacks with a barrage of weapons. Ghaṭotkaca, described as overwhelming like a storm-wind, presses the Kuru forces and rushes toward Karṇa intending to kill him. Duryodhana, alarmed, orders Duḥśāsana to stop Ghaṭotkaca.