Shloka 10

Aśvatthāman’s Admonition to Karṇa on Boasting, Varṇa-Duties, and the Threat of Arjuna

Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 45

Devanagari script

उत्तर उवाच बिभेमि नाहमेतेषां जानामि त्वां स्थिरं युधि | केशवेनापि संग्रामे साक्षादिन्द्रेण वा समम्‌

Transliteration

uttara uvāca bibhemi nāham eteṣāṃ jānāmi tvāṃ sthiraṃ yudhi | keśavenāpi saṅgrāme sākṣādindreṇa vā samam ||

Translation

ഉത്തരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഇനി ഞാൻ അവരെ ഭയപ്പെടുന്നില്ല. യുദ്ധത്തിൽ നിങ്ങൾ അചഞ്ചലനാണെന്ന് എനിക്ക് അറിയാം—സമരത്തിൽ നിങ്ങൾ കേശവനോടും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ സാക്ഷാൽ ഇന്ദ്രനോടും തുല്യൻ.

Word by Word

उत्तरःUttara (name)

उवाचsaid

बिभेमिI fear

नnot

अहम्I

एतेषाम्of these (men)

जानामिI know

त्वाम्you

स्थिरम्steadfast, firm

युधिin battle

केशवेनby/with Keshava (Krishna)

अपिeven, also

संग्रामेin battle

साक्षात्directly, in person

इन्द्रेणby/with Indra

वाor

समम्equally, on a par

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

Keśava (Krishna)

Indra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadiness in battle and the ethical power of recognizing true capability: fear diminishes when one trusts proven valor and leadership, expressed here through exalted comparisons to Krishna and Indra.

What is happening in the narrative?

Uttara addresses his companion/leader in the war context and declares he is not afraid of the opposing warriors because he knows the other to be unwavering in combat, praising him as equal to Keśava or even Indra.