Shloka 48
कुरवो हि महाराज निर्विषा: पन्नगा इव | कर्णमेवोपलीयन्त भयाद् गाण्डीवधन्चन:,महाराज! कौरव विषरहित सर्पोंके समान गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनके भयसे कर्णके ही पास छिपने लगे
kuravo hi mahārāja nirviṣāḥ pannagā iva | karṇam evopalīyanta bhayād gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O great king, the Kuru warriors—like serpents whose venom has been removed—were, out of fear of Arjuna, the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva, gathering close to Karṇa alone for shelter.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and loss of confidence can render even a mighty force ineffective—“like venomless serpents.” It also points to the ethical dimension of leadership in war: when morale collapses, soldiers seek a single strong protector, showing how responsibility concentrates on the most capable commander.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava fighters, intimidated by Arjuna’s prowess with the Gāṇḍīva, were clustering around Karṇa for protection and support, implying that Karṇa had become their main hope against Arjuna.