Shloka 563
अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
पज्चालानां तथा मध्ये कर्णोड्चरदभीतवत् । जैसे सिंह मृगोंके झुंडमें निर्भय विचरता दिखायी देता है, उसी प्रकार कर्ण पांचालोंकी सेनामें निर्भीकके समान विचरण करता था
pañcālānāṁ tathā madhye karṇo 'carad abhītavat | yathā siṁho mṛgāṇāṁ jhaṇḍe nirbhayo vicarati dṛśyate, tathā karṇaḥ pañcālānāṁ senāyāṁ nirbhīka iva vicarati sma ||
Sañjaya said: In the very midst of the Pañcālas, Karṇa moved about as though fearless. Just as a lion is seen roaming unafraid within a herd of deer, so Karṇa ranged through the Pañcāla army, displaying a boldness that made him seem beyond fear—an image that underscores the terrifying asymmetry of power on the battlefield and the moral tension of valor exercised in a destructive war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary martial prowess can create an appearance of invulnerability, yet it also sharpens the ethical tension of war: courage and kṣatriya-valor, when deployed in a fratricidal conflict, become both admirable and frightening, reminding the listener that power on the battlefield does not automatically equate to moral rightness.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa moving deep within the Pañcāla forces without hesitation. The comparison to a lion among deer emphasizes Karṇa’s dominance and the panic his presence could inspire among opposing troops.