Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

अकामयानेन मया विशिखैरर्दितो भूशम्‌

Transliteration

akāmayānena mayā viśikhair ardito bhūśam

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Walaupun aku tidak berhasrat untuk bertempur, aku diseksa dengan dahsyat—ditikam dan ditembusi berulang kali oleh anak panah.”

Word by Word

• अकामयानेन: by one who is not desirous (unwillingly)
• अकामयानेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकामयान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्दितः: tormented/afflicted
• अर्दितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्द् (धातु) → अर्दित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: true

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (viśikha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

War’s harm is not limited to the eager combatant; even those without desire to fight become victims. The verse highlights the ethical tragedy that violence compels participation and produces suffering regardless of personal intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports being severely afflicted by a shower of arrows, emphasizing that he was not acting out of personal desire, yet still endured intense injury and pressure amid the battle’s chaos.