Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 40
Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)
द्रोणभीष्मार्णवं तीर्त्वा कर्णपातालसम्भवम् | मा निमज्जस्व सगण: शल्यमासाद्य गोष्पदम्
sañjaya uvāca |
droṇabhīṣmārṇavaṁ tīrtvā karṇapātālasambhavam | mā nimajjāsva sagaṇaḥ śalyam āsādya goṣpadam iti satyaṁ bravīmyeṣa duryodhana na saṁśayaḥ |
संजय बोले—द्रोण और भीष्मरूपी महासागर को, जिसकी अथाह गहराइयाँ कर्ण से उत्पन्न हैं, पार करके तुम अपने गण सहित शल्यरूपी गोखुर के जल में पहुँचकर डूब मत जाना। दुर्योधन! मैं तुमसे यह सत्य कहता हूँ—इसमें कोई संशय नहीं।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not become careless or arrogant after overcoming major dangers; a smaller, underestimated challenge can still cause downfall. True counsel restrains pride and urges vigilance, even when the next opponent seems ‘small’ by comparison.
Sanjaya addresses Duryodhana with a metaphor: after the Kauravas have passed through the formidable phases of command under Bhishma and Drona (and the abyss-like threat associated with Karna), they must not ‘sink’ when Shalya becomes commander. The statement functions as a caution that the war’s turning points can come unexpectedly.
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