Shloka 34
देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्
Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology
तथैव मद्राधिपतिं शल्यं बलवतां वरम् | बलदेवादृते वीरात् पाण्डवाद् वा वृकोदरात्
tathaiva madrādhipatiṁ śalyaṁ balavatāṁ varam | baladevād ṛte vīrāt pāṇḍavād vā vṛkodarāt |
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Gayon din, sino ang makapagpapabagsak sa labanan kay Śalya, panginoon ng Madra at pinakadakila sa mga makapangyarihan—maliban sa bayaning Baladeva, o sa Pāṇḍava na si Vṛkodara (Bhīma)?” Ipinahihiwatig ng pahayag na ito ang pambihirang katayuang mandirigma ni Śalya at na iilan lamang na natatanging bayani ang maaaring umasa na magtagumpay laban sa kanya, kaya’t hinuhubog nito ang pasyang ayon sa dharma kung ipagpapatuloy ba ang sagupaan na mabigat ang panganib at halaga sa buhay.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how true strength is rare and concentrated in a few exceptional figures; recognizing this reality is part of prudent, dharma-aware decision-making in war, where misjudging an opponent’s prowess can lead to needless destruction.
Vaiśampāyana describes an assessment of Śalya’s battlefield invincibility: only Baladeva or Bhīma (Vṛkodara) is presented as capable of bringing him down, emphasizing Śalya’s status among elite warriors and influencing strategic choices in the surrounding episode.