Shloka 38
भीष्मस्य मध्याह्नयुद्धवर्णनम् / Mid-day Battle Description: Bhīṣma Engaged by the Pāñcālas
अभिमन्युस्तु राजानमम्बष्ठ॑ं लोकविश्रुतम् । विरथं रथिनां श्रेष्ठ वारयामास सायकै:,अभिमन्युने रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ लोकविख्यात राजा अम्बष्ठको सायकोंद्वारा रथहीन करके आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया
abhimanyus tu rājānam ambaṣṭhaṃ lokaviśrutam | virathaṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vārayāmāsa sāyakaiḥ ||
అప్పుడు అభిమన్యుడు లోకవిఖ్యాతుడైన అంబష్ట రాజును—రథయోధుల్లో శ్రేష్ఠుడిని—బాణాలతో గాయపరచి రథహీనుడిగా చేసి అతని ముందడుగును ఆపివేశాడు.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya conduct in war: a capable warrior protects his side by decisively neutralizing threats. Rendering an enemy ‘viratha’ (chariotless) shows tactical restraint and mastery—disabling the opponent’s capacity to fight rather than focusing only on killing.
Sañjaya reports that Abhimanyu confronts the renowned king Ambaṣṭha and stops his advance by showering him with arrows, depriving him of his chariot and thereby halting his forward movement in battle.