एवम् उक्तो महाबाहुः पार्थः कृष्णम् अथाब्रवीत् ॥
भीतः कुन्तीसुतो राजा राधेयस्यातिविक्रमात् ॥
एवं गते प्राप्तकालं कर्णानीके पुनः पुनः ॥
भवान् व्यवस्यतां क्षिप्रं द्रवते हि वरूथिनी ॥
द्रोणसायकनुन्नानां भग्नानां मधुसूदन ॥
कर्णेन त्रास्यमानानाम् अवस्थानं न विद्यते ॥
पश्यामि च तथा कर्णं विचरन्तम् अभीतवत् ॥
द्रवमाणान् रथोदारान् किरन्तं विशिखैः शितैः ॥
evam ukto mahābāhuḥ pārthaḥ kṛṣṇam athābravīt ||
bhītaḥ kuntīsuto rājā rādheyasyātivikramāt ||
evaṃ gate prāptakālaṃ karṇānīke punaḥ punaḥ ||
bhavān vyavasyatāṃ kṣipraṃ dravate hi varūthinī ||
droṇasāyakanunnānāṃ bhagnānāṃ madhusūdana ||
karṇena trāsyamānānām avasthānaṃ na vidyate ||
paśyāmi ca tathā karṇaṃ vicarantam abhītavat ||
dravamāṇān rathodārān kirantaṃ viśikhaiḥ śitaiḥ ||
Thus addressed, the mighty-armed Partha then spoke to Krishna — the king, son of Kunti, frightened by the excessive prowess of Radheya [Karna]: "Since things stand so, at the fitting hour, against Karna's army, again and again, decide swiftly, my lord, for the army is fleeing. Of those struck by Drona's arrows, broken, o Madhusudana, terrified by Karna, there is no steadfastness left. And I likewise see Karna roaming fearlessly, scattering the fleeing, valiant warriors with sharp shafts."
182aa5416c73 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
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Arjuna himself is called "frightened" by Karna's prowess: even the greatest of archers acknowledges the formidable nature of his rival. It is telling that his fear is not for himself but for the perishing army. The verse teaches that courage is not the absence of fear but the sober recognition of danger paired with readiness to meet it; and truly brave is one who, seeing the enemy's storm and troubled for those near him, does not flee but seeks how to overcome — turning fear into a source of resolve.