Shloka 26
Śalya–Yudhiṣṭhira Duel and the Discharge of the Śakti (शल्यवधप्रसङ्गः)
“(नकुल-सहदेवके अतिरिक्त) सात्यकि मेरे दाहिने चक्रकी रक्षा करें और धृष्टद्युम्न बायें चक्रकी। आज कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन मेरे पृष्ठभागकी रक्षामें तत्पर रहें और शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ भीमसेन मेरे आगे-आगे चलें ।। एवमभ्यधिक: शल्याद् भविष्यामि महामृधे | एवमुक्तास्तथा चक्रुस्तदा राज्ञ: प्रियेषिण:,“ऐसी व्यवस्था होनेपर मैं इस महायुद्धमें शल्यसे अधिक शक्तिशाली हो जाऊँगा।' उनके ऐसा कहनेपर राजाका प्रिय करनेकी इच्छावाले भाइयोंने उस समय वैसा ही किया
sañjaya uvāca | (nakula-sahadevake atirikta) sātyaki me dakṣiṇa-cakrasya rakṣāṃ karotu dhṛṣṭadyumno vāma-cakrasya | adya kuntīkumāro 'rjunaḥ me pṛṣṭhabhāgasya rakṣāyāṃ tatparo bhavatu, śastradhāriṣu śreṣṭho bhīmasenaś ca mama agre agre gacchatu || evam abhyadhikaḥ śalyād bhaviṣyāmi mahāmṛdhe | evam uktās tathā cakrus tadā rājñaḥ priyeṣiṇaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “(Apart from Nakula and Sahadeva,) let Sātyaki guard my right wing, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna the left. Today let Arjuna, the son of Kuntī, be intent on protecting my rear, and let Bhīmasena—foremost among weapon-bearers—move in front of me. With such an arrangement, in this great battle I shall become stronger than Śalya.” When he spoke thus, those brothers, eager to do what was pleasing to their king, carried out the plan accordingly.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: disciplined coordination, assigning protection to each flank and the rear, and loyal execution by comrades. Ethical emphasis falls on responsibility and fidelity to one’s leader and role amid the chaos of war.
A commander outlines a tactical arrangement for the battle-formation: Sātyaki guards the right wing, Dhṛṣṭadyumna the left, Arjuna protects the rear, and Bhīma advances in front. Confident that this will make him superior to Śalya in the great fight, he issues the plan, and the brothers carry it out to please their king.