Shloka 87

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

Devanagari script

कर्णस्यापि रथं राजन्‌ शंखगोक्षीरपाण्डुरै: । चित्रकाञ्चनसंनाहै: सददश्लेवेगवत्तरै:,राजन! कर्णके लिये भी एक सुन्दर रथ लाया गया, जिसमें शंख और गोदुग्धके समान ब्ैतवर्णवाले, विचित्र सुवर्णमय कवचसे सुसज्जित और अत्यन्त वेगशाली श्रेष्ठ अश्व जुते हुए थे

Transliteration

karṇasyāpi rathaṃ rājan śaṅkhagokṣīrapāṇḍuraiḥ | citrakāñcanasaṃnāhaiḥ sadāśleṣavegavattarair iti |

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「王よ、カルナのためにも見事な戦車が運ばれて来た。法螺貝のごとく白く、新乳のように淡い名馬が繋がれ、彩りある黄金の馬具で飾られ、きつく締められて、走りはひときわ迅かった。」

Word by Word

कर्णस्यof Karna / for Karna

अपिalso

रथम्chariot

राजन्O king

शङ्खconch

गोक्षीरcow’s milk

पाण्डुरैःwith pale-white (ones)

चित्रvariegated / splendid

काञ्चनgolden

संनाहैःwith armours / trappings

सदश्वैःwith excellent horses

वेगवत्तरैःwith very swift (ones)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Karṇa

chariot (ratha)

horses (aśva)

conch (śaṅkha)

cow’s milk (gokṣīra)

golden harness/trappings (kāñcanasaṃnāha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war magnifies external grandeur—fine chariots, swift horses, golden trappings—yet this splendor serves a destructive end. It invites reflection on the ethical tension between martial excellence and the tragic consequences of adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the arrival/preparation of Karṇa’s chariot, emphasizing the exceptional, pale-white horses and ornate golden harness, signaling Karṇa’s readiness and the intensification of battle.