Shloka 36
Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)
अजेयश्चाप्यसौ वीरो धार्तराष्ट्रण सत्कृत: । तवैव हि जयो नून॑ हते मद्रेश्वरे युधि,इति सत्य ब्रवीम्येष दुर्योधन न संशय: । “मैं रणभूमिमें कुन्तीके सभी पुत्रों और सामने आये हुए सोमकोंपर भी विजय प्राप्त कर लूँगा। इसमें भी संदेह नहीं कि मैं तुम्हारा सेनापति होऊँगा और ऐसे व्यूहका निर्माण करूँगा, जिसे शत्रु लाँघ नहीं सकेंगे। दुर्योधन! यह मैं तुमसे सच्ची बात कहता हूँ। इसमें कोई संशय नहीं है” “वीर शल्य अजेय हैं। दुर्योधनने उनका बड़ा सम्मान किया है। युद्धमें मद्रराजके मारे जानेपर निश्चय आपकी ही जीत होगी
sañjaya uvāca |
ajeyaś cāpy asau vīro dhārtarāṣṭreṇa satkṛtaḥ |
tavaiva hi jayo nūnaṁ hate madreśvare yudhi |
iti satyaṁ bravīmy eṣa duryodhana na saṁśayaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “That hero (Śalya) is indeed unconquerable, and he has been duly honored by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son. Truly, your victory is certain once the lord of Madra is slain in battle. Thus I speak the truth to you, Duryodhana—there is no doubt.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how claims of certainty in war—grounded in honoring powerful allies and predicting an enemy’s fall—can shape morale and decision-making; it also contrasts the speaker’s insistence on “truth” (satya) with the inherently uncertain and ethically fraught nature of battlefield outcomes.
Sañjaya reports to Duryodhana a confident assertion about Śalya: that he is invincible and has been honored by Duryodhana, and that Duryodhana’s victory will be assured once the Madra king (Śalya) is slain in battle—presented as a doubtless, truth-spoken statement.