Shloka 29
Chapter 47: Krauñca-vyūha Deployment and Conch-Signals
Kaurava–Pāṇḍava Readiness
न नून॑ क्षत्रियकुले जात: सम्प्रथिते भुवि । यथास्य हृदयं भीतमल्पसत्त्वस्य संयुगे
sañjaya uvāca | na nūnaṃ kṣatriyakule jātaḥ samprathite bhuvi | yathāsya hṛdayaṃ bhītam alpasattvasya saṃyuge ||
“நிச்சயமாக இவன் பூமியில் புகழ்பெற்ற க்ஷத்திரிய குலத்தில் பிறந்தவன் அல்ல; ஏனெனில் போரின் தருணத்தில் இவனது இதயம் இவ்வளவு அஞ்சுகிறது—இவனது உள்ளார்ந்த வலிமை மிகச் சிறியது.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames battlefield fear as a failure of Kshatriya-appropriate steadiness: a warrior’s dharma requires inner firmness (sattva/bala) and resolve under crisis, and cowardice is portrayed as ethically and socially disqualifying.
Sanjaya reports a harsh assessment of a combatant’s state of mind: seeing his heart overwhelmed by fear at the moment of fighting, he concludes that such weakness is unworthy of a famed Kshatriya lineage.