Shloka 48
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
नवेत्ति कर्मतो भायरिक्षणे यो5क्षम: पुमान्
na vetti karmato bhaya-rīkṣaṇe yo 'kṣamaḥ pumān
नकुल ने कहा—जो पुरुष कर्म के कारण-परिणाम के अनुसार भय की परीक्षा करने में अक्षम है, वह भय को वास्तव में नहीं जानता।
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear should be understood through clear scrutiny of action (karma): its causes, likely outcomes, and one’s capacity to respond. Without such practical discernment, fear remains unexamined and therefore not truly ‘known’ or mastered.
Nakula is speaking in a didactic context, offering a concise maxim: competence in evaluating fear must be grounded in assessing actions and their consequences, aligning courage with thoughtful judgment rather than impulse.