Shloka 32
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
शितै: पृषत्कै: कुर्वाणानभ्रच्छायामिवाम्बरे । अस्यतः: क्षिण्वतश्नारील्लघुहस्तान् दुरासदान् | पार्थिवानपि चान्यांस्त्वं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि
śitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ kurvāṇān abhracchāyām ivāmbare | asyataḥ kṣiṇvataś śatrūl laghuhastān durāsadān || pārthivān api cānyāṁs tvaṁ tadā naivaṁ vadiṣyasi |
Śalya sprach: „Wenn du jene schwer zu bezwingenden Könige siehst—mit schneller Hand—wie sie scharfe Pfeile entsenden, sodass sie gleichsam einen wolkengleichen Schatten über den Himmel legen, unablässig Geschosse regnen lassen und ihre Feinde niederstrecken, dann wirst du nicht länger in dieser prahlerischen Weise reden können. Wenn Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula, Sahadeva und andere unbezwingbare Herrscher sichtbar im Kampfwerk stehen, wird dein Stolz durch die Wirklichkeit ihres dharmischen Entschlusses und ihrer kriegerischen Macht gezügelt werden.“
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns against empty bravado in war: true assessment of opponents and humility before proven strength are part of kṣatriya-dharma. Śalya implies that dharmically grounded warriors, acting with discipline and skill, will silence reckless speech.
Śalya describes a vivid battlefield scene—arrows darkening the sky like cloud-shadow—as formidable kings (including Yudhiṣṭhira, Nakula, and Sahadeva) relentlessly strike down enemies. He tells his addressee that once this is witnessed, earlier boastful talk will not continue.