Mahabharata 7.149.47 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 149, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

कामगै: शैब्यसुग्रीवमेघपुष्पबनलाहकै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | kāmagaiḥ śaibya-sugrīva-meghapuṣpa-balāhakaiḥ abhyadravat rādhēyaṃ pravapan sāyakān bahūn |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—شَیبْیَہ، سُگریو، میگھ پُشپ اور بَلاہَک نامی برگزیدہ گھوڑوں سے جُتا ہوا—جو سارَتھی کے اشارے پر دوڑتے تھے اور سنہری زیوروں سے آراستہ تھے—وہ رتھ گویا وِمان کے مانند دکھائی دیتا تھا۔ اس پر سوار ہو کر ساتْیَکی نے بے شمار تیروں کی بارش کرتے ہوئے رادھیہ کرن پر سیدھا دھاوا بول دیا۔

Word by Word

• कामगैः: with wish-moving (at will-going)
• कामगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामग (काम + ग)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शैब्य: Śaibya (name of a horse)
• शैब्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैब्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुग्रीव: Sugrīva (name of a horse)
• सुग्रीव: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मेघपुष्प: Meghapuṣpa (name of a horse)
• मेघपुष्प: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघपुष्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलाहकैः: with Balāhakas (horses named Balāhaka / cloud-like ones)
• बलाहकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलाहक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभ्यद्रवत्: rushed/charged towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + द्रु (धातु: द्रु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राधेयम्: Rādheya (Karna, son of Rādhā)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रवपन्: showering/casting forth
• प्रवपन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वप्
• Form: Śatṛ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सायकान्: arrows
• सायकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बहून्: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• Rādheya (Karṇa)
• Śaibya (horse)
• Sugrīva (horse)
• Meghapuṣpa (horse)
• Balāhaka (horse)
• chariot
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya resolve and disciplined action: effective agency (a well-equipped chariot, obedient horses, skilled archery) is directed with unwavering focus toward a chosen objective. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s war setting where duty-driven courage and mastery of means operate within the harsh constraints of dharma-yuddha.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Sātyaki, riding a splendid chariot drawn by four famed, swift horses, charges at Karṇa (Rādheya) while releasing a heavy volley of arrows, signaling an intense direct engagement between major warriors.