Shloka 11
Vṛtra’s Cosmic Threat, Viṣṇu’s Upāya, and the Conditional Vulnerability
Udyoga-parva 10
गच्छध्वं सर्षिगन्धर्वा यत्रासौ विश्वरूपधृक् । साम तस्य प्रयुञ्जध्वं तत एनं विजेष्यथ
gacchadhvaṁ sarṣigandharvā yatrāsau viśvarūpadhṛk | sāma tasya prayuñjadhvaṁ tata enaṁ vijeṣyatha ||
Śalya said: “Go forth, together with the ṛṣis and the Gandharvas, to the place where that bearer of a universal form stands. Employ conciliation and peaceful counsel toward him; only then will you be able to overcome him.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that ethical and effective victory begins with sāma—conciliation and reasoned counsel—especially when guided by wise and cultured mediators (ṛṣis and Gandharvas), rather than relying first on coercion.
Śalya instructs a group to approach a formidable figure described as ‘viśvarūpadhṛk’ and to use peaceful negotiation and agreement as the means to subdue him, implying that direct confrontation is not the best first step.