Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 6
धर्मरहस्योपदेशः
Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury
ते प्रेरिता महाराज शल्येनाहवशोभिना । भीमसेनरथं प्राप्प समसज्जन्त वाजिन:,महाराज! संग्राममें शोभा पानेवाले शल्यसे संचालित हो वे घोड़े भीमसेनके रथके समीप जाकर पाण्डव-सेनामें मिल गये
te preritā mahārāja śalyenāhavaśobhinā | bhīmasenarathaṃ prāpya samasajjanta vājinaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O King, those horses—urged on by Śalya, who lent splendor to the battle—reached Bhīmasena’s chariot, pressed in close, and joined the Pāṇḍava host.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how direction and leadership can redirect raw power: in war, outcomes hinge not only on strength but on who guides it and with what intent. Ethical reflection arises from the idea that agency—skillful control amid chaos—can shift the balance of harm and protection.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that horses, driven by Śalya in the heat of battle, come up to Bhīma’s chariot and merge into the Pāṇḍava side’s formation, indicating a tactical movement and close engagement around Bhīma’s ratha.