Shloka 8
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
यथा च सर्वथा55पत्सु वार्ष्णेय: पाति पाण्डवम् | तथा मद्रेश्वराद्य त्वं राधेयं प्रतिपालय
yathā ca sarvathāpatṣu vārṣṇeyaḥ pāti pāṇḍavam | tathā madreśvarādya tvaṃ rādheyaṃ pratipālaya ||
Sañjaya said: “Just as Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa) protects the Pāṇḍava in every way amid all crises, so you too, O lord of Madra, must now safeguard Rādheya (Karna).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In war and crisis, protection and support must be reciprocal and timely: as Kṛṣṇa steadfastly safeguards Arjuna, Śalya is urged to uphold his responsibility to protect Karna, emphasizing duty to one’s side and the ethical weight of guardianship in peril.
Sañjaya reports an exhortation directed to Śalya, the king of Madra, urging him to protect Karna. The line draws a parallel with Kṛṣṇa’s constant protection of Arjuna, framing Śalya’s role as essential to Karna’s safety and effectiveness in the ongoing battle.