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 |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Demikian juga, siapakah yang mampu menjatuhkan dalam pertempuran Śalya, raja Madra dan yang terunggul antara para perkasa—kecuali wira Baladeva, atau Pāṇḍava Vṛkodara (Bhīma)?” Kata-kata itu menegaskan martabat kepahlawanan Śalya yang luar biasa, dan menyiratkan bahawa hanya segelintir pahlawan agung sahaja yang dapat berharap menewaskannya, lalu membentuk pertimbangan dharma sama ada wajar meneruskan pertembungan yang berat risikonya dan mahal korban nyawanya.
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.