Shloka 10
Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)
दृढं त्वभिपरीतो5हमर्जुनेन पुनः पुन: । मध्ये सर्वस्य सैन्यस्थ वासुदेवस्य शृण्वत:
dṛḍhaṃ tvabhiparīto ’ham arjunena punaḥ punaḥ | madhye sarvasya sainyastha vāsudevasya śṛṇvataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Arjuna has again and again surrounded and pressed me hard. This has happened while I stood in the very midst of the entire army, with Vāsudeva listening.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of battlefield testimony: valor is not merely claimed but witnessed. Arjuna’s repeated tactical dominance is presented in the presence of Vāsudeva, underscoring accountability and the seriousness of kṣatriya action under watchful, discerning oversight.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna has repeatedly closed in on him and overwhelmed him, even while he was positioned amid the massed troops. He notes that Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) was listening, emphasizing that the event occurred openly and under an authoritative witness.