Shloka 1
कर्णपरर्वणि त्रयोचत्वारिंशदध्यायः (Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 43) — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Assessment and the Reversal Around Bhīma
अप-#-राल जा चतुश्नत्वारिशो< ध्याय: कर्णके द्वारा मद्र आदि बाहीक देशवासियोंकी निन्दा शल्य उवाच ननु प्रलापा: कर्णते यान् ब्रवीषि परान् प्रति । ऋते कर्णसहस्त्रेण शक््या जेतुं परे युधि,शल्य बोले--कर्ण! तुम दूसरोंके प्रति जो आक्षेप करते हो, ये तुम्हारे प्रलापमात्र हैं। तुम-जैसे हजारों कर्ण न रहें तो भी युद्धस्थलमें शत्रुओंपर विजय पायी जा सकती है
Śalya uvāca: nanu pralāpāḥ Karṇa te yān bravīṣi parān prati | ṛte Karṇa-sahasreṇa śakyā jetuṃ pare yudhi ||
Śalya said: “Karṇa, the accusations you hurl at others are mere ramblings. Even without a thousand men like you, the enemy can still be defeated on the battlefield.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śalya censures reckless, accusatory speech and punctures Karṇa’s self-exalting tone: victory in war depends on more than one hero’s pride, and empty boasting or blame does not constitute true strength or dharmic counsel.
In Karṇa Parva, Śalya (serving as Karṇa’s charioteer) responds sharply to Karṇa’s remarks against others, calling them mere prattle and asserting that the opposing side can still be defeated even without ‘a thousand Karnas,’ thereby undermining Karṇa’s arrogance and provoking him.