Mahabharata 7.142.24 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 142, Shloka 24
सहदेव-राधेय-संग्रामः; शल्य-प्रभावः; अलम्बुस-निवर्तनम्
Sahadeva and Karṇa; Śalya’s pressure; Alambusa’s interception
निवार्य तांस्तूर्णममित्रघाती नप्ता शिने: पत्रिभिरग्निकल्पै: । दुःशासनस्याभिजघान वाहा- नुद्यम्य बाणासनमाजमीढ
nivārya tāṁs tūṛṇam amitraghātī naptā śineḥ patribhir agnikalpaiḥ | duḥśāsanasya abhijaghāna vāhān udyamya bāṇāsanam ājamīḍha
వారిని వేగంగా అడ్డగించిన శత్రుహంతకుడు—శినికి మనవడు—సాత్యకి ధనుస్సును ఎత్తి, అగ్నిసమానంగా మండే పక్షబాణాలతో దుఃశాసనుని గుర్రాలను కొట్టి పడగొట్టాడు.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty in war: swift, decisive action to neutralize an opponent’s capacity to fight (here, disabling the chariot by killing its horses). It reflects the Mahābhārata’s sober view that battlefield ethics often revolve around necessity, strategy, and the obligation to protect one’s side, even through harsh means.
Sañjaya narrates that Śini’s grandson (typically identified as Sātyaki), after checking the opposing attack, raises his bow and with fire-like feathered arrows strikes down Duḥśāsana’s chariot-horses, effectively crippling Duḥśāsana’s mobility in the fight.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.