Shloka 25
कर्णवधोत्तरं शल्य-दुर्योधनसंवादः
Aftermath of Karṇa’s Fall: Śalya’s Address to Duryodhana
त्वष्टा कृतं वाहमकूजनाक्ष॑ शुभं समास्थाय कपिध्वजं तम् | खडगं गृहीत्वा हेमपट्टानुबद्धं धनुश्चेदं गाण्डिवं तालमात्रम्
tvaṣṭā kṛtaṃ vāham akūjanākṣaṃ śubhaṃ samāsthāya kapidhvajaṃ tam | khaḍgaṃ gṛhītvā hemapaṭṭānubaddhaṃ dhanuś cedaṃ gāṇḍivaṃ tālamātram ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Naik ke kereta perang yang mujur itu, buatan Tvaṣṭṛ, dan mengambil tempat di sisi sang pejuang berpanji kera, ia menggenggam pedang yang terikat dengan kelengkapan emas, serta mengangkat pula busur Gāṇḍīva—besar laksana sebatang palem.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined readiness in the service of duty: sacred symbols (the monkey-banner), divine craftsmanship (Tvaṣṭṛ’s chariot), and formidable weapons are not for vanity but for fulfilling kṣatriya responsibility in a morally fraught war.
Sañjaya describes a warrior (identified by the monkey-banner and the Gāṇḍīva as Arjuna) mounting the auspicious, divinely crafted chariot and taking up sword and bow, signaling immediate preparation to engage in the battle events of Karṇa Parva.