धृतराष्ट्र उवाच
तथा गतेषु शूरेषु तेषां मम च संजय ॥
किं वै भीमस् तदाकार्षीत् तन् ममाचक्ष्व संजय ॥
संजय उवाच
विरथो भीमसेनो वै कर्णवाक्शल्यपीडितः ॥
अमर्षवशम् आपन्नः फल्गुनं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत् ॥
पुनः पुनस् तूबरक मूढ औदरिकेति च ॥
अकृतास्त्रक मा योधीर् बाल संग्रामकातर ॥
इति माम् अब्रवीत् कर्णः पश्यतस् ते धनंजय ॥
एवं वक्ता च मे वध्यस् तेन चोक्तो ऽस्मि भारत ॥
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca
tathā gateṣu śūreṣu teṣāṃ mama ca saṃjaya ||
kiṃ vai bhīmas tadākārṣīt tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya ||
saṃjaya uvāca
viratho bhīmaseno vai karṇavākśalyapīḍitaḥ ||
amarṣavaśam āpannaḥ phalgunaṃ vākyam abravīt ||
punaḥ punas tūbaraka mūḍha audariketi ca ||
akṛtāstraka mā yodhīr bāla saṃgrāmakātara ||
iti mām abravīt karṇaḥ paśyatas te dhanaṃjaya ||
evaṃ vaktā ca me vadhyas tena cokto 'smi bhārata ||
[Dhritarashtra:] "So, when the heroes — theirs and mine, Sanjaya — had thus departed, what then did Bhima do? Tell me that, Sanjaya." [Sanjaya:] Chariotless Bhimasena, stung by the word-barbs of Karna, fallen under the sway of indignation, spoke this word to Phalguna: "'Again and again, o hornless one, fool, glutton, unskilled in weapons — do not fight, child, timid in battle' — thus Karna said to me before your very eyes, Dhananjaya. And he who speaks thus shall be slain by me; and by him was I so addressed, o Bharata."
bcfe01f8e331 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
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The wound of mockery burns Bhima more than any arrow — he cannot forget Karna's derision. It is telling that not a blow but a word calls for vengeance: dishonor is bitterer than pain. The verse teaches that scorn heaped upon the helpless does not pass without cost; an insult flung in another's hour of weakness lodges deeper in memory than any arrow, and in its own time exacts payment.