Shloka 23
Rāmopākhyāna—Rāma–Sītā Origins and the Opening of Rāvaṇa’s Genealogy
एतच्छुत्वा धर्मसुत: समुद्धिग्नो नराधिप । अभेद्यकवचं मत्वा कर्णमद्भुतविक्रमम्
etac chrutvā dharmasutaḥ samuddhigno narādhipa | abhedyakavacaṁ matvā karṇam adbhutavikramam ||
Hearing this, Dharmasuta (Yudhiṣṭhira) became deeply agitated, O king, recognizing Karṇa—of wondrous prowess—as one clad in armor that could not be pierced.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a righteous leader can be shaken when confronted with overwhelming power; the verse highlights the ethical tension between upholding dharma and facing the practical realities of conflict, where invulnerability and might can destabilize moral confidence.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, after hearing the account, becomes alarmed because he understands Karṇa to be a warrior of extraordinary valor protected by impenetrable armor.