Shloka 9
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
अशवनुवद्धिर्बीभत्सुमभिमन्युर्निपातित: । जो बाल्यावस्थामें ही दुर्धर्ष वीर था और सव्यसाची अर्जुन
Sañjaya uvāca — aśvān anubaddhair bībhatsum abhimanyur nipātitaḥ | yaḥ bālyāvasthāyām eva durdharṣa-vīra āsīt, sa vyasācī Arjunaḥ Bhagavān Śrī-Kṛṣṇaḥ athavā Baladeva iva manyate sma; yaś ca mahati ratha-yuddhe viśeṣa-kuśalaḥ, sa Abhimanyuḥ śatrūn saṁhṛtya ṣaḍbhiḥ mahā-rathibhiḥ, yeṣām Arjune vaśo na calati, caturdiśaṁ parivārya hataḥ || kṛtaṁ taṁ virathaṁ vīraṁ kṣatra-dharme vyavasthitam ||
Disse Sañjaya: Abhimanyu—que os guerreiros comparavam ao temível Bībhatsu (Arjuna), ao Senhor Śrī Kṛṣṇa ou mesmo a Baladeva; que, embora ainda jovem, era um herói indomável e excepcionalmente hábil no grande combate de carros—depois de abater inimigos, foi cercado por todos os lados e morto por seis poderosos guerreiros de carro, homens que Arjuna não conseguia subjugar. Assim reduziram aquele valente a ficar sem carro, mesmo enquanto permanecia firme no dever de um kṣatriya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness in kṣatriya-dharma—Abhimanyu remains committed to warrior duty even when deprived of his chariot and overwhelmed. Ethically, it also points to the moral weight of collective assault against a single heroic fighter, contrasting personal valor with questionable battlefield conduct.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Abhimanyu, famed as a peer of Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa, or Baladeva in prowess, fought brilliantly, destroyed many foes, but was ultimately encircled and killed by six great chariot-warriors, leaving him ‘viratha’ (chariotless) at the end.