Shloka 30
भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103
महाराज! उसके सिंहनादसे भयभीत हो बहुत-से सैनिक अपने प्यारे प्राणोंको त्यागकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़े ।।
mahārāja! tasya siṃhanādena bhayabhītā bahavaḥ sainikāḥ priyān prāṇān tyaktvā pṛthivyāṃ nipetuḥ. kārṣṇiś cāpi mudā yuktaḥ pragṛhya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ nṛtyann iva rathopasthe tad rakṣaḥ samupādravat.
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, kerana digentarkan oleh ngauman seperti singa itu, ramai askar meninggalkan nyawa yang mereka sayangi lalu rebah ke bumi. Kārṣṇi pula, dipenuhi kegembiraan dan semangat, menggenggam busur dengan anak panah sudah terpasang; seolah-olah menari di tempat duduk kereta perang, dia meluru terus ke arah rākṣasa itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts panic and resolve: fear can collapse an army’s morale, while disciplined courage and spirited readiness (holding bow and arrow, charging the foe) embody the kṣatriya ideal of meeting danger directly rather than yielding to terror.
After a terrifying lion-like roar causes many soldiers to fall dead or collapse in fear, the hero identified here as Kārṣṇi/Abhimanyu, exhilarated and confident, readies his bow with an arrow and charges toward a rākṣasa-like opponent, moving so swiftly that he seems to dance on the chariot-seat.