Shloka 19
Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
द्रौणिस्वाच अयं कुलेन रूपेण तेजसा यशसा श्रिया | सर्वैर्गुणै: समुदित: शल्यो नो<स्तु चमूपति:
sañjaya uvāca | drauṇir uvāca: ayaṃ kulena rūpeṇa tejasā yaśasā śriyā | sarvair guṇaiḥ samuditaḥ śalyo no 'stu camūpatiḥ ||
ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಾಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— “ಈ ರಾಜ ಶಲ್ಯನು ಉನ್ನತ ಕುಲ, ಸುಂದರ ರೂಪ, ತೇಜಸ್ಸು, ಯಶಸ್ಸು, ಶ್ರೀಮತ್ತು ಮತ್ತು ಎಲ್ಲ ಗುಣಗಳಿಂದಲೂ ಸಮೃದ್ಧನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಶಲ್ಯನೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಸೇನಾಪತಿಯಾಗಲಿ.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, authority is argued through dharmic-social credentials—lineage, personal excellence, and public reputation—showing that leadership is expected to be morally and socially defensible, not merely force-based.
Aśvatthāman proposes that King Śalya, praised for noble birth and many virtues, should be appointed as the Kaurava army’s commander; Sanjaya reports this speech.