Shloka 34
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
आदिश्यतामभ्यधिको ममांश: पृथिवीपते । तमहं समरे जित्वा गमिष्यामि यथागतम्,राजन! तुम शत्रुसेनाके अधिक-से-अधिक भागको मेरे हिस्सेमें दे दो, मैं उसे जीतकर जैसे आया हूँ, वैसे लौट जाऊँगा
ādiśyatām abhyadhiko mamāṁśaḥ pṛthivīpate | tam ahaṁ samare jitvā gamiṣyāmi yathāgatam, rājan ||
Śalya said: “O lord of the earth, assign to me a share greater than the rest. Having conquered that (portion of the enemy force) in battle, I shall return, O king, just as I came.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of taking on a difficult, even disproportionate, responsibility in war and staking one’s honor on performance—seeking a greater challenge and promising to accomplish it.
Śalya addresses the king and asks to be assigned the largest or most demanding portion of the enemy force, declaring that he will defeat it in battle and then return safely, as he arrived.