Shloka 5
Adhyāya 196: Droṇa’s Conciliatory Counsel and Karṇa’s Suspicion of Counsel (मन्त्र-नय-विवादः)
पितामह उवाच कि वो भयं मानुषेभ्यो यूयं सर्वे यदामरा: । मा वो मर्त्यसकाशाद् वै भयं भवितुमर्हति,ब्रहद्माजीने कहा--तुम्हें मनुष्योंसे क्यों भय लगता है? जबकि तुम सभी लोग अमर हो, तब तुम्हें मरणधर्मा मनुष्योंसे कभी भयभीत नहीं होना चाहिये
pitāmaha uvāca: kiṁ vo bhayaṁ mānuṣebhyo yūyaṁ sarve yadāmarāḥ | mā vo martyasakāśād vai bhayaṁ bhavitum arhati ||
ปิตามหะตรัสว่า “เหตุใดพวกเจ้าจึงหวาดกลัวมนุษย์? พวกเจ้าล้วนเป็นอมตะ ฉะนั้นไม่สมควรเลยที่จะหวั่นเกรงต่อผู้เป็นมรรตัย”
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear should be proportionate to reality and dharma: those endowed with higher power or protection (here, immortality) should not succumb to irrational fear of the weaker (mortals). The verse promotes steadiness, self-confidence, and clarity about one’s true condition.
An elder authority figure, ‘Pitāmaha,’ addresses a group who are afraid of humans. He questions their fear and reminds them that, being immortal, they have no proper reason to fear mortal men, thereby strengthening their resolve.