Shloka 10
कर्णस्य सेनापत्यं, माकरव्यूहः, पाण्डवानामर्धचन्द्रव्यूहः
Karna’s Command; Mākara Formation; Pandava Crescent Counter-Array
तेजोवधं सूतपुत्रस्य संख्ये प्रतिश्रुत्याजातशत्रो: पुरस्तात् | दुराधर्ष: शक्रसमानवीर्य: शल्य: स्थितो योद्धुकामस्त्वदर्थ
tejo-vadhaṁ sūta-putrasya saṅkhye pratiśrutyājātaśatroḥ purastāt | durādharṣaḥ śakra-samāna-vīryaḥ śalyaḥ sthito yoddhu-kāmas tvad-arthaḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : «Ayant juré, au cœur du combat et en présence même d’Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira), d’abattre l’éclat et l’ardeur guerrière de Karṇa, fils d’un cocher, Śalya se tient désormais prêt à combattre pour toi—difficile à ébranler, et d’une vaillance égale à celle de Śakra (Indra).»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of a warrior’s spoken pledge (pratiśruti): once a vow is made publicly—especially before a figure like Yudhiṣṭhira—honor and dharma pressure the speaker to act accordingly, even when it complicates loyalties and intensifies violence.
Sañjaya informs Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śalya, renowned and difficult to defeat, has taken a vow before Yudhiṣṭhira to undermine Karṇa’s martial brilliance and now stands prepared to fight on the Kaurava side for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s cause.