Shloka 38
कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna
Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying
मेदा, वसा, मज्जा और मांससे तृप्त एवं मतवाले कौए, गीध और बक सब ओर उड़ते दिखायी देते थे ।। शूरास्तु समरे राजन् भयं त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यजम् । योधव्रतसमाख्याताश्षक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत्
śūrās tu samare rājan bhayaṃ tyaktvā sudustyajam | yodhavratasaṃākhyātāś cakruḥ karmāṇy abhītavat ||
Sañjaya said: “Crows, vultures, and cranes—sated and intoxicated on fat, marrow, and flesh—were seen wheeling everywhere. O King, the heroes in that battle cast aside fear, though it is so hard to abandon, and, famed for the warrior’s vow, carried out their deeds as if fearless.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal: fear is natural yet must be mastered for the sake of one’s vowed duty (yodhavrata). Ethical emphasis lies not in bloodlust but in steadfastness to one’s role and resolve under extreme conditions.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield where death is pervasive (suggested by carrion birds in the surrounding prose context), yet the warriors continue fighting. They abandon fear—though it is hard to relinquish—and perform their war-deeds with the composure expected of renowned fighters.