Shloka 83
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्माभारत कर्णपर्वमें दुःशासनवधविषयक तिरासीवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ
iti prakāraṁ śrīmahābhārate karṇaparvaṇi duḥśāsana-vadha-viṣayakaḥ trayāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ samāptaḥ | sañjaya uvāca—vacanaṁ karṇaṁ prāptakālam ariṁdamam | yuddhe śobhā-pānavāle śalyaḥ karṇasya ākṛtiṁ dṛṣṭvaiva tasya manobhāvaṁ jñātavān; ataḥ śatrudamanaṁ karṇaṁ prati idaṁ samayocitaṁ vacanaṁ abravīt—
Sañjaya said: Thus ends the eighty-third chapter of the Karṇa Parva of the Śrī Mahābhārata, concerning the slaying of Duḥśāsana. At that moment, Śalya—renowned for his presence in battle—understood Karṇa’s inner state merely by looking at his appearance. Therefore, addressing Karṇa, the subduer of foes, Śalya spoke words suited to the time—
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights discernment and timely counsel: a leader or charioteer should read a warrior’s mental state and respond with words appropriate to the moment, especially when ethical pressure and battlefield urgency demand clarity.
This is a colophon-like transition: it announces the completion of a chapter focused on Duḥśāsana’s death, then sets the scene for the next exchange—Śalya perceives Karṇa’s mood from his appearance and begins to address him with timely advice.