Shloka 726

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

Devanagari script

अनुद्यूते च पार्थेन वध: कर्णस्य संश्रुतः । उन्होंने उन सबको रथहीन और अत्यन्त व्याकुल तो कर दिया, परंतु उनके प्राण नहीं लिये। जब दुबारा द्यूत हुआ था, उस समय भीमसेनने आपके पुत्रोंके वधकी प्रतिज्ञा की थी और अर्जुनने कर्णको मार डालनेकी घोषणा की थी

Transliteration

anudhyūte ca pārthena vadhaḥ karṇasya saṃśrutaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Dan pada waktu permainan dadu yang kemudian itu, Pārtha (Arjuna) telah bersumpah akan membunuh Karna.” Mereka menjadikan semuanya tanpa kereta dan sangat gelisah, namun tidak meragut nyawa mereka. Ketika dadu dimainkan sekali lagi, Bhimasena telah bernazar akan membunuh putera-putera tuanku, dan Arjuna telah mengisytiharkan akan menewaskan Karna.

Word by Word

अनुद्यूतेin the subsequent dice-game

चand

पार्थेनby Partha (Arjuna)

वधःkilling, slaying

कर्णस्यof Karna

संश्रुतःwas promised/declared

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Karṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the binding power of a solemn vow (saṃśruti) in the Mahābhārata’s ethical world: words spoken in crisis—especially in the aftermath of adharma like gambling—become moral obligations that shape later action and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reminds Dhṛtarāṣṭra that during the second dice-game (anudhyūta), Arjuna (Pārtha) publicly declared his intention to slay Karṇa—an oath that later frames Karṇa’s fate in the war.