Shloka 34
Aśvatthāman’s Admonition to Karṇa on Boasting, Varṇa-Duties, and the Threat of Arjuna
Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 45
असहायो<5सि कौन्तेय ससहायाश्ष कौरवा: । अतएव महाबाहो भीतस्तिष्ठामि तेडग्रत:,कुन्तीनन्दन! आप असहाय हैं और कौरवोंके साथ बहुतेरे सहायक हैं। महाबाहो! यह सोचकर मैं आपके सामने भयभीत हो रहा हूँ
asahāyo 'si kaunteya sahāyāś ca kauravāḥ | ata eva mahābāho bhītas tiṣṭhāmi te 'grataḥ ||
Uttara berkata: “Wahai putera Kuntī, engkau berdiri tanpa bantuan, sedangkan Kaurava disokong ramai sekutu. Maka, wahai yang berlengan perkasa, memikirkan demikian, aku berdiri di hadapanmu dalam ketakutan.”
उत्तर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear arises from judging strength only by external support and numbers; it implicitly points toward the need for steadiness and right resolve (kṣātra-dharma) even when one feels outmatched.
Prince Uttara, facing the prospect of battle, tells Arjuna (disguised as Bṛhannalā) that Arjuna seems without allies while the Kauravas have many supporters; overwhelmed by this comparison, Uttara admits he is standing before Arjuna in fear.