Shloka 513
Cakravyūha-saṃkalpaḥ, Saṃśaptaka-āhvānaṃ, Saubhadra-vikrīḍitam
Drona Parva, Adhyāya 32
मा भैछ्टेति प्रतिश्रुत्य ययावभिमुखो<र्जुनम् । तब अधिरथपुत्र कर्णने उन शरणार्थी सैनिकोंकी करुण पुकार सुनकर 'डरो मत” इस प्रकार उन्हें आश्वासन देकर अर्जुनका सामना करनेके लिये प्रस्थान किया
mā bhaiṣṭeti pratiśrutya yayāv abhimukho 'rjunam |
Sañjaya said: Having pledged, “Do not fear,” he reassured the soldiers who had sought refuge and, hearing their piteous cries, set out to face Arjuna. The scene underscores a warrior’s obligation to protect the frightened and to meet a worthy opponent directly, even amid the moral strain of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A leader, especially a kṣatriya in wartime, must steady those who seek protection—dispelling fear with assurance—and then uphold duty by confronting the challenge directly, without abandoning the vulnerable.
Hearing the distressed cries of soldiers who have come for refuge, Karṇa promises them safety—“Do not fear”—and then advances to meet Arjuna in battle, as Sañjaya narrates.