Shloka 89
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
भीमो5पि मुष्टिमुद्यम्य वज्गर्भा सुदारुणाम् । हन्तुमैच्छत् सूतपुत्रं संस्मरन्नर्जुनं क्षणात्,अब भीमसेनने अपने अंगूठेको मुट्टीके भीतर करके वज्रतुल्य अत्यन्त भयंकर घूँसा तानकर सूतपुत्र कर्णको मार डालनेकी इच्छा की। तबतक क्षणभरमें उन्हें अर्जुनकी याद आ गयी। अतः सव्यसाची अर्जुनने पहले जो प्रतिज्ञा की थी, उसकी रक्षा करते हुए पाण्डुनन्दन भीमने समर्थ एवं शक्तिशाली होनेपर भी उस समय कर्णका वध नहीं किया
bhīmo 'pi muṣṭim udyamya vajragarbhāṁ sudāruṇām | hantum aicchat sūtaputraṁ saṁsmarann arjunaṁ kṣaṇāt ||
Sañjaya said: Bhīma too, raising his fist—hard as a thunderbolt and exceedingly terrible—wished to strike down Karṇa, the charioteer’s son. But in that very moment he remembered Arjuna; and so, though fully capable and powerful, Bhīma did not kill Karṇa then, preserving Arjuna’s prior vow and the ethical order of their pledged combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the heat of battle, strength must be governed by dharma: Bhima restrains himself to uphold Arjuna’s pledged right and the moral discipline of keeping vows, showing that ethical commitment can override immediate advantage.
Bhima raises a devastating fist to kill Karna, but instantly recalls Arjuna and refrains, so that Arjuna’s earlier vow/claim regarding Karna’s slaying is not violated.