Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 7
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
त्वं सूत स्यन्दनं महां कल्पयेत्यसकृत् त्वरन् । भारत! दुर्योधनके ऐसा कहनेपर शल्यने रथका स्पर्श करके कहा--“तथास्तु।” जब शल्यने सारथि होना पूर्णरूपसे स्वीकार कर लिया, तब कर्णने प्रसन्नचित्त होकर बारंबार अपने पूर्व सारथिसे शीघ्रतापूर्वक कहा--'सूत! तुम मेरा रथ सजाकर तैयार करो” ।।
sañjaya uvāca | tvaṃ sūta syandanaṃ mahān kalpayety asakṛt tvaran | bhārata! duryodhanake evaṃ kahanepara śalyena rathasya sparśaṃ kṛtvā uktam—“tathāstu” | yadā śalyena sārathitvaṃ pūrṇarūpeṇa svīkṛtam, tadā karṇena prasannacittena bāraṃbāraṃ sva-pūrva-sārathaye śīghratāpūrvakaṃ uktam—“sūta! tvaṃ mama rathaṃ sajjīkṛtya prastutaṃ kuru” || (uttarārdhaḥ) tato jaitraṃ rathavaraṃ gandharvanagaropamam |
Sañjaya sprach: In Eile und immer wieder sagte Karṇa zum Wagenlenker: „O Sūta, rüste meinen großen Streitwagen.“ O Bhārata! Als Duryodhana so gesprochen hatte, berührte Śalya den Wagen und erwiderte: „So sei es.“ Nachdem Śalya die Aufgabe des Wagenlenkers vollständig angenommen hatte, drängte Karṇa, heiteren Sinnes, seinen früheren Wagenlenker wieder und wieder, den Wagen unverzüglich bereitzumachen. Da wurde der vortreffliche, siegverheißende Wagen herbeigebracht, glänzend wie eine Stadt der Gandharvas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights role-duty (dharma) and the ethics of consent in hierarchy: Shalya’s explicit assent (“tathāstu”) marks acceptance of responsibility, while Karna’s urgency shows how, in war, preparedness and disciplined execution become moral imperatives tied to one’s chosen side and obligations.
Karna repeatedly orders that his chariot be made ready. Duryodhana’s request leads Shalya to accept the position of Karna’s charioteer, signaled by touching the chariot and saying “tathāstu.” With Shalya’s acceptance secured, preparations proceed and the splendid, victory-associated chariot is brought forth.