Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 21
सर्वे संख्ये कुरवो निष्पतन्तु मां वा लोका: कीर्तयन्त्वाकुमारम् । सवनिकस्तानहं पातयिष्ये ते वा सर्वे भीमसेनं तुदन्तु
sarve saṅkhye kuravo niṣpatantu māṃ vā lokāḥ kīrtayantv ā-kumāram | savanikas tān ahaṃ pātayiṣye te vā sarve bhīmasenaṃ tudantu ||
Bhīmasena disse: “Que todos os Kauravas tombem de cabeça nesta batalha — ou então que o povo, das crianças aos anciãos, proclame que fui eu, Bhīmasena, quem caiu no campo. Sozinho abaterei todos esses Kauravas; ou que todos juntos me assaltem e me atormentem, a mim, Bhīmasena. Hoje a questão será decidida no campo de batalha.”
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of unwavering resolve: Bhīma frames the day’s outcome as either total victory over the Kauravas or his own fall, accepting public judgment and fame as secondary to fulfilling his martial duty.
On the battlefield in Karṇa Parva, Bhīmasena declares a fierce determination: he will single-handedly bring down the Kaurava forces, or else they may collectively strike him down—either way, the decisive confrontation will occur that day.