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 |
ಅದೇ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ ಬಲವಂತರಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾದ ಮದ್ರಾಧಿಪತಿ ಶಲ್ಯನನ್ನು ವೀರ ಬಲದೇವನ ಹೊರತು, ಅಥವಾ ಪಾಂಡವ ವೃಕೋದರ (ಭೀಮ)ನ ಹೊರತು, ಯುದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಮತ್ತಾರು ಕೆಡವಬಲ್ಲರು?
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.