Shloka 6

Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)

Devanagari script

अपीयं वाहिनी कृत्स्ना मुच्येत महतो भयात्‌ | अप्ययं ब्राह्मण: सर्वान्‌ न नो हन्यात्‌ समागतान्‌,“क्या यह सारी सेना महान्‌ भयसे मुक्त हो सकती है? कहीं ऐसा न हो कि ये ब्राह्मण देवता यहाँ आये हुए हम सब लोगोंका वध कर डालें?

Transliteration

apīyaṃ vāhinī kṛtsnā mucyeta mahato bhayāt | apy ayaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ sarvān na no hanyāt samāgatān |

Translation

Sanjaya said: “Might this entire host be delivered from this great terror? May it not happen that this brahmin—this formidable divine being—slays all of us who have assembled here.”

Word by Word

अपिperhaps, even

इयम्this

वाहिनीarmy, host

कृत्स्नाentire, whole

मुच्येतmight be freed

महतःfrom great

भयात्from fear

अपिperhaps, even

अयम्this

ब्राह्मणःBrahmin

सर्वान्all

नःof us / our

हन्यात्might kill

समागतान्assembled, gathered

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

the assembled army (vāhinī)

a brahmin/divine ascetic figure (brāhmaṇaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and psychological weight of dharma in war: even a vast army can be shaken by the possibility of adharma provoking a spiritually powerful figure. It underscores the Mahabharata theme that moral-spiritual force (tapas/tejas) can outweigh sheer military strength, and that wrongdoing invites catastrophic consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya voices apprehension that the entire assembled force may not escape a looming danger. He fears that a brahmin-like divine ascetic present in the situation could, if provoked or acting in wrath, destroy all those gathered—showing panic and uncertainty amid the unfolding conflict.