Shloka 28

अलंबलवधः (Alaṃbala-vadhaḥ) / The Slaying of Alaṃbala and the Advance toward Karṇa

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं राधेयमर्जुनस्य रथं प्रति

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṃ rādheyam arjunasya rathaṃ prati

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—రాధేయుడు కర్ణుడు దాడికి దూసుకొచ్చి అర్జునుని రథం వైపు పడ్డాడు.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आपततन्तम्: falling/charging (towards)
• आपततन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (आ + पत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• राधेयम्: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनस्य: of Arjuna
• अर्जुनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards/against
• प्रति: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Rādheya (Karṇa)
• Arjuna
• Arjuna’s chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the kṣatriya ethos of direct confrontation in war: Karṇa commits himself to decisive action against his foremost rival. Ethically, it underscores how personal enmity and vows intensify battlefield choices, testing restraint and discernment amid dharma-bound conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa (called Rādheya) is charging toward Arjuna’s chariot, signaling an imminent clash between two principal champions.