Shloka 20
Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
भागिनेयान् निजांस्त्यक्त्वा कृतज्ञोडस्मानुपागत: । महासेनो महाबाहुर्महासेन इवापर:,ये ऐसे कृतज्ञ हैं कि अपने सगे भानजोंको भी छोड़कर हमारे पक्षमें आ गये हैं। ये महाबाहु शल्य दूसरे महासेन (कार्तिकेय)-के समान महती सेनासे सम्पन्न हैं
bhāgineyān nijāṁs tyaktvā kṛtajño ’smān upāgataḥ | mahāseno mahābāhur mahāsena ivāparaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Kerana tahu membalas budi, dia meninggalkan bahkan anak-anak saudara sebelah perempuannya lalu datang ke pihak kita. Śalya yang berlengan perkasa itu, dengan bala tentera yang besar, laksana Mahāsena (Kārttikeya) yang kedua pada kekuatan.”
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).