Shloka 1096
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
विरराम रणात् तस्मात् पश्यतां सर्वधन्विनाम् । भीमसेनका यह अभिप्राय जानकर बुद्धिमानोंमें श्रेष्ठ कर्ण समस्त धनुर्धरोंके सामने ही उस युद्धसे हट गया
virarāma raṇāt tasmāt paśyatāṁ sarva-dhanvinām |
Sañjaya dit : Sous les yeux de tous les archers, il cessa ce combat et se retira du champ de bataille. Comprenant l’intention de Bhīmasena, Karṇa—le premier des sages—fit un pas en arrière et se dégagea de la lutte devant l’assemblée des tireurs à l’arc ; un moment qui rappelle que même les plus grands guerriers choisissent parfois la retenue et le repli tactique sous la pression du dharma et de l’honneur.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where discernment and restraint can be as significant as valor: a warrior may withdraw when the situation, intention of the opponent, or larger strategic and dharmic considerations demand it, even under public scrutiny.
Sañjaya reports that, as all the archers watched, the combatant (contextually Karṇa) stopped fighting and withdrew from that battle after understanding Bhīma’s intention, marking a visible shift in the encounter’s momentum.