Mahabharata 7.84.13 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 84, Shloka 13

अलम्बुस-वधः

The Neutralization of Alambusa

Devanagari script

जजाप जप्यं कौन्तेय: सतां मार्गमनुछित: । तत्राग्निशरणं दीप्तं प्रविवेश विनीतवत्‌

Transliteration

jajāpa japyaṃ kaunteyaḥ satāṃ mārgam anucchitaḥ | tatrāgniśaraṇaṃ dīptaṃ praviveśa vinītavat ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Юдхиштхира, сын Кунти, твёрдый на пути праведных, произнёс священную мантру, предназначенную для повторения, — Гаятри. Затем, смиренно, он вошёл в огненное святилище, озарённое разожжённым пламенем, — поступая так, как подобает человеку дисциплинированному и добродетельному.

Word by Word

• जजाप: chanted, recited
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जप्यम्: to be chanted, fit for recitation
• जप्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप्य (कृदन्त; √जप् + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कौन्तेयः: Kunteya (son of Kunti)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• मार्गम्: path, way
• मार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुचितः: following, in accordance with
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• अग्निशरणम्: fire-sanctuary / fire-chamber
• अग्निशरणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निशरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दीप्तम्: blazing, shining
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त; √दीप् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रविवेश: entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विनीतवत्: like one who is humble; humbly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विनीतवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् प्रत्यय)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Agniśaraṇa (fire-sanctuary/fire-chamber)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid the pressures of war, the righteous person sustains dharma through disciplined practice—mantra-recitation, reverence for sacred rites, and humble conduct—showing that inner restraint and ethical alignment are integral to right action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, described as unwavering on the path of the virtuous, performs japa of a sacred mantra and then respectfully enters a blazing fire-sanctuary (agniśaraṇa), indicating a ritual or solemn act undertaken with humility.