Mahabharata 7.149.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 149, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच सैन्धवं निहतं दृष्टवा रणे पार्थेन भारत । अमर्षवशमापन्न: कृप: शारद्वतस्तत:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

saindhavaṁ nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā raṇe pārthena bhārata |

amarṣavaśam āpannaḥ kṛpaḥ śāradvatas tataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, melihat Saindhava terbunuh di medan perang oleh Pārtha (Arjuna), Kṛpa, putera Śaradvat, segera dikuasai kemarahan. Dihanyutkan amarah, dia mencurahkan hujan anak panah yang dahsyat dan berusaha menutupi Arjuna di medan laga—gelombang balas dendam yang meletus serta-merta, lahir daripada dukacita dan maruah yang tercalar.”

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सैन्धवम्: the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)
• सैन्धवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्धव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निहतम्: slain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश्
• Form: ktvā (absolutive)

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

• पार्थेन: by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अमर्षवशम्: the sway/control of indignation
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर्ष-वश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आपन्नः: having fallen into / having come under
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√पद्
• Form: kta (past active participle in sense of 'having reached'), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृपः: Kripa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शारद्वतः: son of Sharadvat
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• Saindhava (Jayadratha)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Śaradvat

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the death of a key ally triggers amarṣa—indignant rage—which can seize even respected elders and drive immediate retaliation. Ethically, it illustrates the Mahābhārata’s recurring warning: in war, emotions like wounded honor and grief can eclipse discernment, intensifying violence and complicating dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Arjuna kills Jayadratha (Saindhava) on the battlefield, Kṛpācārya, overwhelmed by indignation, responds by launching a heavy barrage of arrows aimed at overwhelming and covering Arjuna in combat.