Shloka 14
प्रशंसन्तो<र्जुनं केचित् केचित् कर्ण महारथा: । व्यद्रवन्त दिशो भीता: कुरव: कुरुसत्तम,कुरुश्रेष्ठ! कौरव-महारथियोंमेंसे कुछ लोग अर्जुनकी प्रशंसा करते थे और कुछ कर्णकी। वे सब-के-सब भयभीत होकर चारों दिशाओंमें भाग खड़े हुए
sañjaya uvāca | praśaṃsanto 'rjunaṃ kecit kecit karṇa-mahārathāḥ | vyadravanta diśo bhītāḥ kuravaḥ kuru-sattama kuru-śreṣṭha ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam kalangan pahlawan Kuru, ada yang memuji Arjuna, dan ada pula yang memuji Karṇa, sang maharatha. Namun semua orang Kuru, dikuasai ketakutan, lari bertempiaran ke segala arah—wahai yang terbaik di antara Kuru, wahai yang terunggul dalam keturunan Kuru! Adegan ini menegaskan bahawa di tengah pertembungan para juara, sorakan berpihak akhirnya tunduk kepada hakikat perang: ketakutan mampu meleraikan kesatuan walau dalam bala tentera yang termasyhur.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the instability of collective resolve in war: even while individuals take sides in praising rival heroes, fear can overwhelm the many. Ethically, it points to how attachment to champions and partisan judgment do not prevent the broader suffering and panic that battle unleashes.
Sañjaya reports to the Kuru king that, amid the confrontation involving Arjuna and Karṇa, some warriors acclaim Arjuna and others acclaim Karṇa; yet the Kuru troops as a whole become frightened and scatter, fleeing toward all directions.