Shloka 61
द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय ११२) — कर्णभीमयोर्युद्धम्, दुर्योधनस्य रक्षणादेशः
Droṇa-parva 112: Karṇa–Bhīma Engagement and Duryodhana’s Protective Order
'राजेन्द्र! महाराज! यदि युद्धके श्रेष्ठ मुहानेपर हमारी सहायताके लिये भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण, बलराम, अनिरुद्ध, महारथी प्रद्युम्न, गद, सारण अथवा वृष्णिवंशियोंसहित साम्ब कवच धारण करके तैयार होंगे, तो भी मैं पुरुषसिंह सत्यपराक्रमी शिनिपौत्र सात्यकिको अवश्य ही अपनी सहायताके कार्यमें नियुक्त करूँगा; क्योंकि मेरी दृष्टिमें दूसरा कोई सात्यकिके समान नहीं है”
rājendra mahārāja yadi yuddhake śreṣṭha muhānepar asmākaṃ sahāyatāyai bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ balarāmo'niruddho mahārathī pradyumno gadaḥ sāraṇaḥ athavā vṛṣṇivaṃśībhiḥ saha sāmbaḥ kavacaṃ dhārayitvā sajjā bhaveyuḥ, tathāpi ahaṃ puruṣasiṃhaṃ satyaparākramaṃ śinipautraṃ sātyakiṃ niścayenaiva mama sahāyatākārye niyokṣyāmi; yataḥ mama dṛṣṭau sātyakisamaḥ anyaḥ kaścid na vidyate.
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : «Ô seigneur des rois, ô grand roi ! Quand bien même, sur le front le plus décisif de cette guerre, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Aniruddha, le grand guerrier de char Pradyumna, ainsi que Gada et Sāraṇa — ou même Sāmba avec les héros de la lignée des Vṛṣṇi — revêtiraient l’armure et se tiendraient prêts à nous secourir, je confierais pourtant à Sātyaki, lion parmi les hommes, petit-fils de Śini à la vaillance éprouvée, la charge de nous soutenir. Car, à mon jugement, nul n’égale Sātyaki.»
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment in leadership: even amid the presence of many illustrious allies, Yudhiṣṭhira singles out the person he judges uniquely fit for a specific duty. Ethical leadership here means recognizing proven merit and assigning responsibility based on capability and trust, not merely on fame or status.
In the midst of the Drona Parva war situation, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks about arranging support at a crucial battle-front. He states that even if Kṛṣṇa and other prominent Vṛṣṇi heroes were to come armored and ready to help, he would still appoint Sātyaki to the key role of assistance, declaring that no one equals him in this task.