Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
शल्यश्न चित्रसेनश्व॒ शकुनिश्च महारथ: । अश्वत्थामा कृपश्चैव कृतवर्मा च सात्वत:,शल्य, चित्रसेन, महारथी शकुनि, अश्व॒त्थामा, कृपाचार्य, सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा, सुषेण, अरिष्टसेन, पराक्रमी धृतसेन और जयत्सेन आदि राजाओंने वहीं रात बितायी
sañjaya uvāca | śalyaś ca citrasenaś ca śakuniś ca mahārathaḥ | aśvatthāmā kṛpaś caiva kṛtavarmā ca sātvatāḥ |
Sañjaya berkata: “Śalya, Citrasena, sang maharathi Śakuni, bersama Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, dan Kṛtavarmā daripada keturunan Sātvata—para pemimpin ini tinggal di situ dan bermalam bersama, meneruskan tekad mereka dalam haluan perang yang suram.”
संजय उवाच
The verse underscores how war binds leaders into a shared, often morally fraught resolve: eminent warriors remain together, reinforcing solidarity and strategic continuity even as dharma becomes contested in the late stages of the conflict.
Sañjaya lists key Kaurava-aligned warriors—Śalya, Citrasena, Śakuni, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, and Kṛtavarmā—indicating that they stayed at the same place and spent the night there, marking a pause in battle and a consolidation of forces.