Shloka 346
शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12
अयोधयन् धर्मराजं मद्रराजपुरस्कृता: । तत्पश्चात् कृपाचार्य, कृतवर्मा और महारथी शकुनि मद्रराज शल्यको आगे करके धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरसे युद्ध करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca | ayodhayann dharmarājaṃ madrarāja-puraskṛtāḥ | tataḥ paścāt kṛpācāryaḥ kṛtavarmā ca mahārathī śakuniḥ madrarājaṃ śalyam agre kṛtvā dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram yoddhuṃ pracakramuḥ |
Sañjaya dijo: «Poniendo al rey de Madra a la cabeza, entablaron combate con Dharmarāja. Luego, el preceptor Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā y el gran guerrero de carro Śakuni—colocando al rey de Madra, Śalya, al frente—se lanzaron contra Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira para batirse con él. La escena subraya cómo, en el caos de la guerra, incluso ancianos venerables y guerreros célebres se agrupan tras un jefe escogido para apretar un asalto concentrado contra la encarnación misma del dharma.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the moral tension of war: even those associated with learning and seniority (like Kṛpa) participate in violent conflict under political allegiance. It also emphasizes how leadership and formation (placing Śalya in front) shape the ethical and strategic dynamics of battle against Dharmarāja, the figure identified with righteousness.
Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava-side warriors—Kṛpa, Kṛtavarmā, and Śakuni—advance to fight Yudhiṣṭhira. They do so with Śalya, king of Madra, positioned as the foremost leader of their assault.