Shloka 48
अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)
यथा स हृतदर्पश्न हृततेजाश्न पाण्डव । भविष्यति सुखं हन्तुं सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते
yathā sa hṛta-darpaś ca hṛta-tejāś ca pāṇḍava | bhaviṣyati sukhaṁ hantuṁ satyam etad bravīmi te ||
Śalya dit : «Ô Pāṇḍava, je te dis ceci en vérité : lorsque Karṇa brûlera d’affronter Arjuna sur le champ de bataille, je lui parlerai par des paroles contraires et funestes, afin que son orgueil et son éclat soient brisés. Alors il sera aisé de l’abattre dans la guerre.»
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pride and perceived brilliance can be strategically undermined; it raises an ethical tension in dharma-yuddha: victory may be pursued not only by weapons but by breaking an opponent’s morale, prompting reflection on the limits of righteous conduct in war.
Śalya tells a Pāṇḍava that when Karṇa seeks to fight Arjuna, Śalya will deliberately speak discouraging, adverse words to Karṇa, aiming to shatter his confidence and vigor so that he can be slain more easily in battle.