Shloka 163
कर्णभीमसमागमः | Karṇa–Bhīma Encounter
एतांश्व दिवसान् सर्वान् भयेन महता वृतः । “इन सारे दिनोंमें महान् भयसे घिरे हुए अर्जुन किसी तरह भी कर्णके सामने खड़े न हो सके थे
etāṁś ca divasān sarvān bhayena mahatā vṛtaḥ |
ਸੰਜਯ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ— “ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਾਰੇ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮਹਾਨ ਡਰ ਨਾਲ ਘਿਰਿਆ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਖੜਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੋ ਸਕਿਆ ਸੀ।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the disruptive power of fear: even a righteous and capable warrior can be constrained when fear dominates the mind. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, courage is not merely physical; it is the steadiness to meet one’s duty (dharma) despite inner turmoil.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that for a stretch of days Arjuna did not come forward to confront Karṇa directly, being gripped by intense fear. It sets the tone for the tension around the long-anticipated Arjuna–Karṇa encounter.