Mahabharata 7.113.30 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 113, Shloka 30
Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)
एतेड<र्जुनस्य क्रुद्धस्प कलां ना्हन्ति षोडशीम् । 'राजन्! जो सौवीर, सिन्धु तथा पुरुदेशके योद्धा हैं, जो उत्तर और दक्षिणके निवासी एवं अन्य महारथी हैं तथा जो कर्ण आदि श्रेष्ठ रथी बताये गये हैं वे कुपित हुए अर्जुनकी सोलहवीं कलाके बराबर भी नहीं हैं ।।
sañjaya uvāca | ete 'rjunasya kruddhasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm | rājan ye sauvīrāḥ sindhavaś ca tathā purudeśakāḥ yoddhāḥ ye cottara-dakṣiṇa-nivāsinaḥ anye ca mahārathāḥ karṇādayaś ca śreṣṭhā rathinaḥ kathitāḥ te 'pi kupitasyārjunasya ṣoḍaśīṃ kalām api na samāḥ || udyuktā pṛthivī sarvā sa-surāsura-mānuṣā | nareśvara devatā asurā manuṣyā rākṣasāḥ kinnarāś ca mahā-sarpāś ca saha yadi yuddhāya samudyatā bhaveyuḥ tathāpi sarve militvā yuddha-sthale 'rjunam abhimukhaṃ na śaknuyuḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: „O König, die Krieger von Sauvīra, Sindhu und Purudeśa—die aus Norden und Süden und andere große Wagenkämpfer—, selbst jene, die als die Ersten unter den Wagenmeistern gerühmt werden, wie Karṇa, reichen nicht einmal an den sechzehnten Teil Arjunas heran, wenn er im Zorn entbrennt. Und selbst wenn die ganze Erde, mitsamt Göttern, Asuras und Menschen—samt Rākṣasas, Kinnaras und den mächtigen Schlangengeschlechtern, ja allen beweglichen und unbeweglichen Wesen—zum Kampf aufstünde, so könnten sie doch, vereint, Arjuna auf dem Schlachtfeld nicht die Stirn bieten.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that sheer numbers and reputation cannot match concentrated skill and resolve; it also implicitly warns that anger, when joined to extraordinary capability, becomes a force that must be governed by dharma and self-control.
Sanjaya reports to the king that Arjuna, in a state of wrath, is so formidable that even renowned warriors (including those associated with Karṇa) and even a vast coalition of beings would be unable to confront him in battle.
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