Shloka 13
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
तावका: समवर्तन्त पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् । आचार्यका यह वचन सुनकर भूरिश्रवा आदि आपके प्रमुख योद्धाओंने पाण्डवसेनापर आक्रमण किया ।। कृपो भूरिश्रवा: शल्यो द्रोणपुत्रो विविंशति:
tāvakāḥ samavartanta pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm | ācāryakā yaḥ vacanaṃ śrutvā bhūriśravā-ādayaḥ tava pramukhā yoddhāḥ pāṇḍava-senāyām ākrāman kṛpaḥ bhūriśravāḥ śalyaḥ droṇaputro viviṃśatiḥ |
तावकाः समवर्तन्त पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्। कृपो भूरिश्रवाः शल्यो द्रोणपुत्रो विविंशतिः॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare amplifies the tension between duty and ethics: warriors, bound by loyalty and command, rush into violence. It invites reflection on whether obedience and allegiance can justify actions whose moral consequences are heavy.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that the Kaurava forces advanced against the Pandava formation. After hearing the commander’s instruction, prominent Kaurava warriors—Kripa, Bhurishravas, Shalya, Ashvatthama, and Vivimshati—attack the Pandava army.