Shloka 22
Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)
इति सत्यामिमां वाणी लोकवीरा निबोधत । योत्स्ये5हं मातुलेनाद्य क्षात्रधर्मेण पार्थिवा:
iti satyām imāṁ vāṇī lokavīrā nibodhata | yotsye 'haṁ mātulenādya kṣātradharmeṇa pārthivāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Thus, hear this truthful declaration, O heroes renowned among the people: Today I shall fight with my maternal uncle, in accordance with the warrior’s code, O kings.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-dharma: even when the opponent is a close relative, a warrior is expected to uphold duty and the accepted rules of combat. It also emphasizes satya (truthfulness) in making one’s intention clear and accountable before others.
Sañjaya reports a warrior’s public resolve: addressing the assembled kings and renowned fighters, the speaker announces that he will engage in battle that very day with his maternal uncle, framing the coming fight as an act aligned with the warrior code rather than personal impulse.