Mahabharata 7.149.48 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 149, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

हयोगग्रैर्महावेगैहेंमभाण्डवि भूषितै: । युक्त समारुह्मु च तं विमानप्रतिमं रथम्‌

Transliteration

hayograiḥ mahāvegaiḥ hemabhāṇḍa-vibhūṣitaiḥ | yuktaṃ samāruhya ca taṃ vimāna-pratimaṃ ratham ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—تیز رفتار، نہایت زورآور گھوڑوں کو سنہری ساز و سامان سے آراستہ کر کے رتھ میں جوتا گیا؛ پھر وہ وِمان کے مانند شاندار رتھ پر سوار ہوئے اور اگلے حملے کے لیے آمادہ ہو گئے۔

Word by Word

• हय-योग्यैः: with horses fit (for yoking)
• हय-योग्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हययोग्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महावेगैः: with great speed
• महावेगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हेम-भाण्डैः: with golden trappings/ornaments
• हेम-भाण्डैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमभाण्ड
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विभूषितैः: adorned
• विभूषितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूषित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• युक्तम्: yoked, harnessed
• युक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समारुह्मुḥ: they mounted/ascended
• समारुह्मुḥ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-रुह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• विमान-प्रतिमम्: like an aerial car (vimāna-like)
• विमान-प्रतिमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमानप्रतिम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ratha (chariot)
• hayāḥ (horses)
• hema-bhāṇḍa (golden trappings)
• vimāna (celestial aerial car, as a simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined readiness: in a dharmic narrative, action is preceded by proper preparation and order. Even amid violence, the epic often frames conduct through control, competence, and the visible signs of responsibility borne by warriors and leaders.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes warriors (implied by context) harnessing swift horses with golden equipment and mounting a magnificent chariot likened to a vimāna, signaling immediate movement into the next phase of the battle.