Shloka 39
भीष्मस्य मध्याह्नयुद्धवर्णनम् / Mid-day Battle Description: Bhīṣma Engaged by the Pāñcālas
विरथो वध्यमानस्तु सौभद्रेण यशस्विना । अवल्लुत्य रथात् तूर्णमम्बष्ठो वसुधाधिप:,यशस्वी सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्युसे पीड़ित एवं रथहीन होकर राजा अम्बष्ठ अपने रथसे कूद पड़े और महामना सुभद्राकुमारपर उन्होंने रणक्षेत्रमें तलवार चलायी। फिर वे महाबली नरेश कृतवर्माके रथपर जा बैठे
sañjaya uvāca | viratho vadhyamānas tu saubhadreṇa yaśasvinā | avallutya rathāt tūṛṇam ambaṣṭho vasudhādhipaḥ | yaśasvī subhadrākumāra abhimanyunā pīḍita evaṃ rathahīnaḥ san rājā ambaṣṭhaḥ sva-rathāt kūdya mahāmanā subhadrākumāram prati raṇakṣetre asiṃ prāharat | tataḥ sa mahābalī nareśaḥ kṛtavarmāṇaḥ rathaṃ gatvā tasmin upāviśat |
Disse Sañjaya: Ferido e deixado sem carro pelo ilustre filho de Subhadrā (Abhimanyu), o rei Ambaṣṭha saltou depressa de seu carro. Embora acossado e agora sem carro, ele—de ânimo elevado na batalha—brandiu a espada contra Abhimanyu no campo. Depois, esse poderoso rei foi ao carro de Kṛtavarmā e nele tomou assento.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when deprived of advantage (a chariot), a kṣatriya is expected to maintain resolve and continue the fight; yet the episode also highlights the pragmatic ethics of war—survival and regrouping (mounting another chariot) are part of battlefield duty.
Abhimanyu disables and pressures King Ambaṣṭha, leaving him chariotless. Ambaṣṭha jumps down, attacks Abhimanyu with a sword on foot, and then withdraws to mount Kṛtavarmā’s chariot to continue the battle.