Shloka 41
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७
Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts
तथापरान् नरश्रेष्ठ संदष्टौष्पुटान् पुन: । भ्रुकुटीकुटिलै र्वक्त्रै: प्रेक्षमाणान् समन््ततः
tathāparān naraśreṣṭha saṃdaṣṭauṣṭhapūṭān punaḥ | bhru-kuṭī-kuṭilaiḥ vaktraiḥ prekṣamāṇān samantataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai insan terbaik, lihat juga para pahlawan yang lain itu—berulang kali mereka menggigit bibir dengan gigi terkatup rapat, memandang ke segenap arah, wajah mereka menegang dengan kening berkerut dan melengkung. Kegelisahan yang tampak pada zahir itu menyingkap tekanan batin di medan perang, tempat takut, marah, dan tekad saling bertarung dalam fikiran.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inner turbulence that war provokes—visible in involuntary bodily signs like clenched teeth and furrowed brows—reminding the reader that ethical choices in conflict are made under intense psychological pressure, where self-control and discernment are tested.
Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, points out the condition of other warriors: they are tense and vigilant, biting their lips and scanning all directions with frowning, contorted faces, indicating anxiety and readiness amid the fighting.