Shloka 20
Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
भागिनेयान् निजांस्त्यक्त्वा कृतज्ञोडस्मानुपागत: । महासेनो महाबाहुर्महासेन इवापर:
bhāgineyān nijāṁs tyaktvā kṛtajño ’smān upāgataḥ | mahāseno mahābāhur mahāsena ivāparaḥ ||
ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— “ಕೃತಜ್ಞತೆಯಿಂದ ಅವನು ತನ್ನದೇ ಸಹೋದರಿಯ ಪುತ್ರರನ್ನೂ ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಪಕ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಮಹಾಬಾಹು ಶಲ್ಯನು ಮಹಾಸೇನೆಯನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದವನು; ಶಕ್ತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ಮಹಾಸೇನ (ಕಾರ್ತಿಕೇಯ)ನಂತಿದ್ದಾನೆ.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṛtajñatā (gratitude/remembering a benefit) as a powerful ethical motive that can override even close kinship ties; it also shows how warriors are praised through divine comparison to strengthen morale and legitimacy.
Sañjaya describes Śalya’s alignment with the Kauravas: despite having close family connections on the opposing side (his sister’s sons), Śalya comes to ‘our’ camp out of gratitude, and is portrayed as a formidable commander, likened to Mahāsena (Kārttikeya).