Shloka 19
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
तथैव कृतवर्मा च कृप: शल्यश्न मारिष । विद्ध्वा नाकम्पयत् कार्ष्णि मैनाकमिव पर्वतम्
tathaiva kṛtavarmā ca kṛpaḥ śalyas tathaiva ca, viddhvā nākampayat kārṣṇiṃ mainākam iva parvatam.
Sañjaya dit : De même, Kṛtavarmā, Kṛpa et Śalya—bien qu’ils aient atteint Kārṣṇi (fils de Kṛṣṇa) de leurs flèches—ne purent le faire chanceler ; il demeura immobile comme le mont Maināka. Le vers souligne la constance du guerrier sous l’assaut, lorsque la résolution intérieure et le courage discipliné l’emportent sur la blessure du corps au milieu de la tension morale du combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness (dhṛti) in the face of harm: true martial excellence is not merely striking the enemy but maintaining unwavering resolve and composure under attack, a key aspect of kṣatriya-dharma in the epic’s ethical landscape.
Sañjaya reports that Kṛtavarmā, Kṛpa, and Śalya shower Kārṣṇi with arrows, yet he remains unshaken—compared to Mount Maināka—emphasizing the intensity of the combat and the exceptional firmness of the warrior being attacked.