Shloka 256

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

Devanagari script

नानुछितं तमेवाजी विशिखैरभिवर्षता । “जन श्रेष्ठ महात्मा आचार्यका यह वचन युद्धस्थलमें उन्हींपर बाणोंकी वर्षा करके मैंने नहीं माना है

Transliteration

nānuccitaṃ tam evājau viśikhair abhivarṣatā |

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「戦場にあって彼に矢の雨を浴びせていながらも、私はそれを正しいこととは認められなかった。」この一句は、戦の暴力のただ中に生じる道義のためらいを示す。許された戦いであっても、ある標的や攻め方は相応しさ（aucitya）を損なうと悟っているのである。

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• anucitam: improper, unbecoming
• anucitam: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anucita
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• eva: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva

• aji: in battle
• aji: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: aji
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• viśikhaiḥ: with arrows
• viśikhaiḥ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśikha
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• abhivarṣatā: by (one) showering (arrows) upon
• abhivarṣatā: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhivarṣat
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• battlefield (āja)
• arrows (viśikha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous war, actions must be measured by propriety and dharma; the mere fact of battle does not automatically justify every form of attack.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a moment of moral judgment during combat: while describing an exchange of arrows on the battlefield, he notes that such an act toward ‘him’ was considered improper.