Shloka 226
Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
युद्धाय च मतिं चक्रुरावेशं च पर ययु: । द्रोणपुत्रके ऐसा कहनेपर सभी नरेश राजा शल्यको घेरकर खड़े हो गये और उनकी जय-जयकार करने लगे। उन्होंने युद्धके लिये पूर्ण निश्चय कर लिया और वे अत्यन्त आवेशमें भर गये
sañjaya uvāca | yuddhāya ca matiṃ cakrur āveśaṃ ca paraṃ yayuḥ | droṇaputrake etad uktvā sarve nareśā rājānaṃ śalyaṃ parivārya tasthuḥ, tasya ca jayajayakāraṃ cakruḥ | te yuddhāya pūrṇa-niścayaṃ kṛtvā paramāveśaṃ jagmuḥ |
Sanjaya said: They resolved upon battle and were seized by intense martial ardor. When this was said in the matter concerning Drona’s son, all the kings surrounded King Shalya, stood close about him, and raised cries of victory in his honor. Having fixed their determination to fight, they surged forward in a heightened, impassioned state—an image of how collective acclaim and anger can harden resolve and propel men deeper into war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how public acclaim, group emotion, and the momentum of conflict can intensify determination for war. Ethically, it warns that collective excitement (āveśa) can override sober judgment, making escalation feel inevitable and even celebrated.
After a statement connected with Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman), the gathered kings rally around King Shalya, encircle him, and proclaim victory for him. Their support crystallizes into firm resolve to fight, and they become inflamed with martial ardor.