Mahabharata 7.133.7 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 133, Shloka 7
दुर्योधनस्य कर्णप्रार्थना — कृपकर्णसंवादः
Duryodhana’s Appeal to Karna — The Kripa–Karna Dialogue
भयाद् यस्य महाबाहोरन शेते बहुला: समा: । चिन्तयन् नित्यशो वीर्य राधेयस्य महात्मन: । त॑ कथं सूतपुत्रं तु भीमोड्योधयताहवे
bhayād yasya mahābāhor na śete bahulāḥ samāḥ | cintayan nityaśo vīryaṃ rādheyasya mahātmanaḥ | taṃ kathaṃ sūtaputraṃ tu bhīmo ’yodhayatāhave ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—മഹാബാഹുവും മഹാത്മാവുമായ രാധേയ കർണന്റെ വീര്യം നിത്യമായി ചിന്തിച്ച്, അവന്റെ ഭയത്താൽ രാജാ യുദ്ധിഷ്ഠിരൻ അനേകം വർഷങ്ങൾ ഉറങ്ങാതിരുന്നുവല്ലോ; അത്തരം സൂതപുത്രൻ കർണനോടു ഭീമസേനൻ യുദ്ധഭൂമിയിൽ എങ്ങനെ പോരാടി?
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how reputation and fear can weigh even on a righteous king, yet dharma in war demands that warriors still meet formidable opponents. It implicitly praises courage and resolve—facing a feared adversary is part of kṣatriya duty, not merely a test of strength but of steadiness of mind.
Sañjaya remarks on Karna’s terrifying renown: Yudhiṣṭhira had long been unable to sleep, constantly thinking of Karna’s prowess. Against that backdrop, Sañjaya asks in wonder how Bhīma managed to engage Karna in direct combat on the battlefield.
Ask anything about this verse
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.