Shloka 32

अलम्बुस-वधः

The Neutralization of Alambusa

Devanagari script

कुण्डली बद्धनिस्त्रिंश: संनद्धकवचो युवा । अभिप्रणम्य शिरसा द्वा:स्थो धर्मात्मजाय वै

Transliteration

kuṇḍalī baddha-nistriṁśaḥ sannaddha-kavaco yuvā | abhipraṇamya śirasā dvāḥstho dharmātmajāya vai ||

Translation

कुण्डली बद्धनिस्त्रिंशः संनद्धकवचो युवा । अभिप्रणम्य शिरसा द्वाःस्थो धर्मात्मजाय वै ॥

Word by Word

कुण्डलीwearing earrings

बद्धनिस्त्रिंशःhaving a sword fastened (at the side)

संनद्धकवचःwearing/fastened in armor

युवाa young man

अभिप्रणम्यhaving bowed down / after saluting

शिरसाwith (his) head

द्वाःस्थःa doorkeeper / one stationed at the door

धर्मात्मजायto the son of Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)

वैindeed / surely

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dharmātmaja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

dvāḥstha (doorkeeper)

nistriṁśa (sword)

kavaca (armor)

kuṇḍala (earrings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a martial setting, ethical order is maintained through self-control and proper respect: the armed, armored youth still bows humbly to Dharmarāja, signaling that power and weapons should remain subordinate to dharma and rightful authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a young gate-attendant, fully equipped with sword and armor, approaching and bowing his head before Yudhiṣṭhira (the son of Dharma), indicating a formal audience or message delivered with due protocol.