Shloka 15
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
कृपाचार्य, भूरिश्रवा, शल्य, अश्व॒त्थामा, विविंशति, चित्रसेन, विकर्ण, सिंधुराज जयद्रथ, बृहदबल तथा अवन्तीके राजकुमार महाथधनुर्धर विन्द और अनुविन्द--इन सबने दुर्योधनको उसकी रक्षाके लिये सब ओरसे घेर लिया ।।
sañjaya uvāca | kṛpācāryo bhūriśravāḥ śalya aśvatthāmā viviṁśatiś citraseno vikarṇaḥ sindhurājo jayadratho bṛhadbalaś tathā avantīke rājakumārau mahādhanuṣdharau vindaś cānuvindaś ca—ete sarve duryodhanaṁ rakṣārthaṁ sarvataḥ paryavārayām āsuḥ || te viṁśatipadaṁ gatvā samprāhāraṁ pracakrire | pāṇḍavā dhārtarāṣṭrāś ca parasparajighāṁsavaḥ yuddham āceruḥ ||
Sañjaya disse: Kṛpācārya, Bhūriśravas, Śalya, Aśvatthāmā, Viviṁśati, Chitrasena, Vikarna, Jayadratha, rei de Sindhu, Bṛhadbala e os dois príncipes de Avanti—Vinda e Anuvinda, arqueiros poderosos—cercaram Duryodhana por todos os lados para protegê-lo. Avançando cerca de vinte passos, deram início ao choque das armas; então os guerreiros Pāṇḍava e Dhārtarāṣṭra lutaram com intenção mútua de matar.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic of loyalty and protective duty: elite warriors close ranks around their leader, showing how kṣatriya-dharma can manifest as organized guardianship—yet it also exposes the moral peril of war, where protection and strategy quickly become mutual intent to kill.
A group of prominent Kaurava-aligned fighters encircle Duryodhana to defend him. They then advance a short distance and begin close combat; immediately the Pāṇḍava and Kaurava forces engage with lethal determination.