Shloka 6
शल्यपरिघातः (Śalya Under Encirclement) — Mahābhārata, Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 12
योद्धाओंमें महान् गजराजके समान पराक्रमी उन दोनों वीरोंको देखकर आपके और शत्रुपक्षके योद्धा सब ओरसे “वाह-वाह” कहकर उनके प्रति सम्मान प्रकट करने लगे --[५॥।। न हि मद्राधिपादन्यो रामाद् वा यदुनन्दनात् | सोढुमुत्सहते वेगं भीमसेनस्य संयुगे,'संसारमें मद्रराज शल्य अथवा यदुनन्दन बलरामजीके सिवा दूसरा कोई ऐसा योद्धा नहीं है, जो युद्धमें भीमसेनका वेग सह सके
yoddhāsu mahān gajarāja iva parākramī tau vīrau dṛṣṭvā tava ca śatrupakṣasya ca yoddhāḥ sarvataḥ “vāh-vāh” iti vadantaḥ tayoḥ prati sammānaṃ prakaṭayām āsuḥ | na hi madrādhipād anyo rāmād vā yadunandanāt soḍhum utsahate vegaṃ bhīmasenasya saṃyuge |
Sañjaya said: Seeing those two heroes—mighty in valor like a great lord of elephants—warriors on both your side and the enemy’s side, from every direction, cried “Bravo! Bravo!” and openly showed them honor. For in this world, apart from Śalya, king of Madra, or Balarāma, the delight of the Yadus, there is no other warrior who dares to withstand Bhīmasena’s onrush in battle.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war, the epic highlights a shared martial ethic: genuine excellence is acknowledged publicly, sometimes even by opponents. At the same time, true strength is measured not only by force (Bhīma’s vega) but by the rare capacity to endure and counter it with steadiness (attributed here to Śalya and Balarāma).
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that two outstanding warriors appear with elephant-like might, prompting applause from both armies. He then emphasizes Bhīmasena’s terrifying momentum in combat, stating that only Śalya of Madra or Balarāma is considered capable of bearing it in battle.