Shloka 20
Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)
शड्खं च पूरयामास मुहुर्मुहुररिंदम:
śaṅkhaṃ ca pūrayāmāsa muhur muhur arindamaḥ
Sañjaya said: The foe-subduer repeatedly blew his conch, sounding it again and again—an act meant to rally his own side, proclaim resolve, and strike fear into the enemy amid the moral tension of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a morally fraught war, the epic highlights the kṣatriya code: maintaining courage, discipline, and cohesion. The repeated conch-blast symbolizes resolve and the duty to stand firm, while also reminding readers of the grave consequences of conflict.
Sañjaya narrates that a warrior described as 'arindama' repeatedly blows the conch. This functions as a battlefield signal and a psychological display—encouraging allies and intimidating opponents during the fighting in the Karṇa Parva.