Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 35

Arjun was famous as a mighty warrior and a worthy opponent for even the most valiant of the Kauravas warriors, such as Bheeshma, Dronacharya, Karn, etc. He had attained fame by fighting many celestial gods. He had fought and overwhelmed even Lord Shiv, who had come in the disguise of a hunter. Pleased with his valor and skill, Lord Shiv had rewarded him with a celestial weapon, called Pāshupatāstra. His teacher at archery, Dronacharya, had also bestowed his blessings upon him in the form of a special weapon. Just before the start of the battle, if Arjun were to retire from the battlefield, these gallant warriors wouldn’t know that affection for his relatives had inspired him to flee. They would consider him a coward, and assume that he had abstained from the war in dread of their prowess.