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:,अश्वत्थामाने कहा--ये राजा शल्य उत्तम कुल, सुन्दर रूप, तेज, यश, श्री एवं समस्त सदगुणोंसे सम्पन्न हैं, अत: ये ही हमारे सेनापति हों
sañjaya uvāca | drauṇir uvāca: ayaṃ kulena rūpeṇa tejasā yaśasā śriyā | sarvair guṇaiḥ samuditaḥ śalyo no 'stu camūpatiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Putera Droṇa, Aśvatthāman, berkata, “Śalya ini dikurniai keturunan mulia, rupa yang tampan, keberanian, kemasyhuran, dan kemakmuran; lengkap dengan segala kebajikan. Maka biarlah Śalya menjadi panglima tentera kita.”
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.