Shloka 43
Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam
A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement
संजय उवाच एवमस्त्विति मद्रेश उक्त्वा नोत्तरमुक्तवान् | याहि शल्येति चाप्येनं कर्ण: प्राह युयुत्मया,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! तब मद्रराज शल्य “एवमस्तु” कहकर चुप हो गये। उन्होंने कर्णकी उस बातका कोई उत्तर नहीं दिया। तब कर्णने युद्धकी इच्छासे उनसे कहा --'शल्य! रथ आगे ले चलो'
sañjaya uvāca evam astv iti madreśa uktvā no uttaram uktavān | yāhi śalyeti cāpy enaṃ karṇaḥ prāha yuyutmayā ||
সঞ্জয়ে ক’লে—ৰাজন! মদ্ৰেশ শল্যে ‘এৱমস্তু’ বুলি কৈ নীৰৱ হ’ল; কৰ্ণৰ কথাৰ কোনো উত্তৰ নক’লে। তাৰপিছত যুদ্ধেচ্ছাৰে কৰ্ণে ক’লে—“শল্য! ৰথ আগলৈ চলা।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how assent can be given without inner agreement: Śalya’s ‘evam astu’ followed by silence suggests restrained compliance amid tension, while Karṇa’s immediate command shows single-minded commitment to battle-duty.
After Karṇa speaks, Śalya (the Madra king serving as Karṇa’s charioteer) replies only ‘So be it’ and offers no further response. Karṇa, intent on fighting, then orders Śalya to drive the chariot forward.