Shloka 303
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
विशीर्णदन्तं निहतं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि । जब तुम देखोगे कि भीमसेनने संग्रामभूमिमें गजराजोंकी सेनाके दाँत तोड़-तोड़कर उसका संहार कर डाला है, तब तुम इस प्रकार नहीं बोल सकोगे
viśīrṇadantaṃ nihataṃ tadā naivaṃ vadiṣyasi |
Śalya berkata: “Apabila engkau melihat pasukan gajah di medan perang—gadingnya pecah berderai dan barisannya dimusnahkan oleh Bhīmasena—maka engkau tidak akan mampu berkata begini lagi.” Kata-kata itu menegur kesombongan yang mendahului perbuatan, dan menegaskan bahawa penilaian dalam perang harus datang selepas menyaksikan tindakan, bukan sekadar kata-kata.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Words and confidence must be tested by observable action; in the ethics of war, true assessment comes after witnessing prowess and results, not from prior boasting or dismissive speech.
Śalya addresses his interlocutor (contextually, Karṇa) and predicts that once Bhīmasena is seen crushing the elephant forces—breaking tusks and slaughtering them—the earlier manner of speaking (likely contempt or overconfidence) will cease.