Shloka 30
अभिमन्यु–अलम्बुसयुद्धम् / The Duel of Abhimanyu and Alambusa
with Arjuna’s approach to Bhīṣma
स्पर्थते हि महेष्वासो नित्यं द्रोणसुतेन सः । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं द्रौणिं विव्याध पत्रिणा
spardhate hi maheṣvāso nityaṃ droṇasutena saḥ | sa visphārya mahaccāpaṃ drauṇiṃ vivyādha patriṇā ||
سنجے نے کہا—وہ عظیم کماندار ہمیشہ درونہ کے بیٹے سے رقابت رکھتا تھا۔ اس نے اپنی بڑی کمان کو پوری طرح کھینچ کر پر دار تیر سے درونی کو چھید دیا۔
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how rivalry (spardhā) and personal antagonism can intensify violence in war: even when fighting is framed as kṣatriya-duty, inner motives like pride and competition shape actions and can deepen the ethical strain of the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports that a renowned archer, continually competing with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), fully draws his great bow and strikes Aśvatthāman with a feathered arrow.