Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 26
Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)
“(नकुल-सहदेवके अतिरिक्त) सात्यकि मेरे दाहिने चक्रकी रक्षा करें और धृष्टद्युम्न बायें चक्रकी। आज कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन मेरे पृष्ठभागकी रक्षामें तत्पर रहें और शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भीमसेन मेरे आगे-आगे चलें ।।
sañjaya uvāca | (nakula-sahadevake atirikta) sātyaki me dakṣiṇa-cakrasya rakṣāṃ karotu dhṛṣṭadyumno vāma-cakrasya | adya kuntīkumāro 'rjunaḥ me pṛṣṭhabhāgasya rakṣāyāṃ tatparo bhavatu, śastradhāriṣu śreṣṭho bhīmasenaś ca mama agre agre gacchatu || evam abhyadhikaḥ śalyād bhaviṣyāmi mahāmṛdhe | evam uktās tathā cakrus tadā rājñaḥ priyeṣiṇaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “(Selain Nakula dan Sahadeva,) biarlah Sātyaki menjaga sayap kananku dan Dhṛṣṭadyumna sayap kiriku. Hari ini biarlah Arjuna, putra Kuntī, bersiaga melindungi bagian belakangku, dan biarlah Bhīmasena—yang utama di antara para pemanggul senjata—bergerak di depanku. Dengan susunan demikian, dalam pertempuran besar ini aku akan menjadi lebih kuat daripada Śalya.” Setelah ia berkata demikian, para saudara yang ingin menyenangkan rajanya segera melaksanakannya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: disciplined coordination, assigning protection to each flank and the rear, and loyal execution by comrades. Ethical emphasis falls on responsibility and fidelity to one’s leader and role amid the chaos of war.
A commander outlines a tactical arrangement for the battle-formation: Sātyaki guards the right wing, Dhṛṣṭadyumna the left, Arjuna protects the rear, and Bhīma advances in front. Confident that this will make him superior to Śalya in the great fight, he issues the plan, and the brothers carry it out to please their king.