Mahabharata 7.113.30 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 113, Shloka 30
Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)
एतेड<र्जुनस्य क्रुद्धस्प कलां ना्हन्ति षोडशीम् । 'राजन्! जो सौवीर, सिन्धु तथा पुरुदेशके योद्धा हैं, जो उत्तर और दक्षिणके निवासी एवं अन्य महारथी हैं तथा जो कर्ण आदि श्रेष्ठ रथी बताये गये हैं वे कुपित हुए अर्जुनकी सोलहवीं कलाके बराबर भी नहीं हैं ।।
sañjaya uvāca | ete 'rjunasya kruddhasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm | rājan ye sauvīrāḥ sindhavaś ca tathā purudeśakāḥ yoddhāḥ ye cottara-dakṣiṇa-nivāsinaḥ anye ca mahārathāḥ karṇādayaś ca śreṣṭhā rathinaḥ kathitāḥ te 'pi kupitasyārjunasya ṣoḍaśīṃ kalām api na samāḥ || udyuktā pṛthivī sarvā sa-surāsura-mānuṣā | nareśvara devatā asurā manuṣyā rākṣasāḥ kinnarāś ca mahā-sarpāś ca saha yadi yuddhāya samudyatā bhaveyuḥ tathāpi sarve militvā yuddha-sthale 'rjunam abhimukhaṃ na śaknuyuḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, para pejuang Sauvīra, Sindhu dan Purudeśa—mereka dari wilayah utara dan selatan, serta maharatha yang lain—bahkan yang termasyhur sebagai terunggul dalam kalangan pahlawan kereta seperti Karṇa—tidak pun menyamai seperenam belas Arjuna tatkala ia murka. Walaupun seluruh bumi, bersama para dewa, asura dan manusia—beserta rākṣasa, kinnara dan bangsa ular besar, serta segala makhluk yang bergerak dan yang tidak bergerak—bangkit untuk berperang, namun bersatu sekalipun mereka tetap tidak mampu menghadapi Arjuna di medan laga.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that sheer numbers and reputation cannot match concentrated skill and resolve; it also implicitly warns that anger, when joined to extraordinary capability, becomes a force that must be governed by dharma and self-control.
Sanjaya reports to the king that Arjuna, in a state of wrath, is so formidable that even renowned warriors (including those associated with Karṇa) and even a vast coalition of beings would be unable to confront him in battle.
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