Shloka 22
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
समुद्यम्य गदां गुर्वी यमदण्डोपमां रणे
saṃudyamya gadāṃ gurvīṃ yamadaṇḍopamāṃ raṇe | śṛṅgadhārī kailāsaparvatopamāṃ gadām ūrdhvaṃ dhārayantaṃ bhīmasenaṃ dṛṣṭvā duryodhanaś cāśvatthāmā ca yugapat tam abhyadhāvatām ||
Sañjaya berkata: Di medan perang, Bhīmasena mengangkat gada yang besar—mengerikan seperti tongkat hukuman Yama—lalu berdiri dengan gada terangkat tinggi, bagaikan Gunung Kailāsa yang bertanduk. Melihatnya demikian, Duryodhana dan Aśvatthāmā pun menyerbu ke arahnya serentak.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral gravity of war: weapons are not merely tools but symbols of consequence. By likening Bhīma’s mace to Yama’s rod, the text evokes accountability and the inevitability of retribution that follows violent action, even when performed under kṣatriya duty.
Bhīma raises his heavy mace in a fearsome stance on the battlefield. Duryodhana and Aśvatthāmā, seeing him poised to strike, coordinate and rush together to engage him.