कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
ततो भी: प्राविशत् काक॑ तदा तत्र विचेतसम्
tato bhīḥ prāviśat kāka tadā tatra vicetasam
И тогда страх вошёл в ворона; в тот самый миг, в том самом месте, он смутился и утратил самообладание.
हंस उवाच
Fear disrupts discernment: when one is seized by bhī (fear), one becomes vicetasa (mentally unsteady), and ethical judgment and effective action collapse. The verse highlights the moral need for steadiness and self-mastery in moments of threat.
In the haṃsa’s narration, the crow is suddenly overcome by fear; right there and then it becomes confused and loses presence of mind, marking a turning point where panic replaces clarity.