Shloka 24
Indra-vijaya Upākhyāna and Śalya’s Assurance to Yudhiṣṭhira (इन्द्रविजयोपाख्यानम् — शल्ययुधिष्ठिरसंवादः)
“मामाजी! जब अर्जुनके साथ कर्णका युद्ध होगा, उस समय आप कर्णका सारथ्य करेंगे, इसमें संशय नहीं है। उस समय आप अर्जुनकी प्रशंसा करके कर्णके तेज और उत्साहका नाश करें (यही मेरा अनुरोध है)' ।। शल्य उवाच एवमेतत् करिष्यामि यथा मां सम्प्रभाषसे । यच्चान्यदपि शक्ष्यामि तत् करिष्याम्यहं तव
śalya uvāca: evam etat kariṣyāmi yathā māṃ samprabhāṣase | yac cānyad api śakṣyāmi tat kariṣyāmy ahaṃ tava ||
శల్యుడు పలికెను—నీవు నాతో చెప్పినట్లే నేను చేస్తాను. ఇంకా నేను చేయగలిగినదేదైనా ఉంటే, అది కూడా నీకోసం చేస్తాను.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intention shapes duty: service (as a charioteer or ally) can be offered with strategic intent, and speech can be wielded to strengthen or weaken another’s resolve. It foregrounds the moral ambiguity of using counsel and praise/blame as weapons in war.
Śalya responds to a request/instruction and promises compliance: he will act as told and do whatever more he can for the requester. In the broader Udyoga context, this assent foreshadows Śalya’s role connected with the coming Kurukṣetra conflict and the manipulation of morale through words.