Shloka 34
देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्
Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology
तथैव मद्राधिपतिं शल्यं बलवतां वरम् | बलदेवादृते वीरात् पाण्डवाद् वा वृकोदरात्
tathaiva madrādhipatiṁ śalyaṁ balavatāṁ varam | baladevād ṛte vīrāt pāṇḍavād vā vṛkodarāt |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「同じく、戦場においてマドラの主にして強者の中の第一たるシャリヤを打ち倒し得る者が、勇将バラデーヴァ、あるいはパーンダヴァのヴリコーダラ（ビーマ）を除いて、いったい誰であろうか。」この言葉は、シャリヤの比類なき武威を際立たせ、彼を討ち得る望みを持つのはごく限られた超絶の勇士のみであることを示す。ゆえに、勝算も犠牲も重い対決を続けるべきかという、ダルマに照らした判断をも形づくるのである。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how true strength is rare and concentrated in a few exceptional figures; recognizing this reality is part of prudent, dharma-aware decision-making in war, where misjudging an opponent’s prowess can lead to needless destruction.
Vaiśampāyana describes an assessment of Śalya’s battlefield invincibility: only Baladeva or Bhīma (Vṛkodara) is presented as capable of bringing him down, emphasizing Śalya’s status among elite warriors and influencing strategic choices in the surrounding episode.