Shloka 196
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
भीमसेनं रणे दृष्टया कालान्तकयमोपमम् | तदनन्तर आपके शेष पुत्र रणभूमिमें काल, अन्तक और यमके समान भयानक भीमसेनको देखकर भयसे व्याकुल हो वहाँसे भाग गये
bhīmasenaṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā kālāntaka-yamopamam | tadanantaraṃ tava śeṣāḥ putrā raṇabhūmau kāla-antaka-yama-samānaṃ bhayānakaṃ bhīmasenaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhayena vyākulāḥ tataḥ palāyitāḥ ||
सञ्जय उवाच—रणे भीमसेनं दृष्ट्वा कालान्तकयमोपमं, तव शिष्टाः पुत्रा भयविह्वला तं मृत्युसमं भीमं निरीक्ष्य ततोऽपययुः।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inevitability of death and moral consequence: when adharma loses its inner courage, it collapses into fear, whereas a force aligned with righteous purpose appears as irresistible as Time and Death.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma appears on the battlefield with death-like terror; seeing him, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s remaining sons panic and flee the field.