Shloka 4
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
तत्त्वामप्रतिवीर्याद्य शत्रुपक्षक्षयावह । मद्रेश्वर प्रयाचेडहं शिरसा विनयेन च,'शत्रुपक्षका विनाश करनेवाले, अनुपम शक्तिशाली, रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ मद्रराज! मैं मस्तक झुकाकर विनयपूर्वक आपसे यह याचना करता हूँ कि आप अर्जुनके विनाश और मेरे हितके लिये प्रेमपूर्वक कर्णका सारथ्य कीजिये
tattvām aprativīryādya śatrupakṣakṣayāvaha | madreśvara prayāce 'haṃ śirasā vinayena ca ||
Sabi ni Sañjaya: “O panginoon ng Madra, ikaw na tunay na may lakas na di matutulan at tagapagdala ng pagkalipol sa hanay ng kaaway—nakayuko ang aking ulo, buong pagpapakumbaba akong namamanhik: para sa pagwasak kay Arjuna at para sa aking kapakinabangan, tanggapin mo sana nang may mabuting loob ang tungkuling maging sais ng karwahe ni Karna.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how persuasion and humility are used in wartime politics: even powerful figures are approached through praise and deference to secure strategic cooperation, raising ethical tension between personal advantage and righteous conduct.
Sanjaya addresses the king of Madra (Śalya), praising his unmatched valor and requesting—head bowed—that he willingly become Karna’s charioteer, aiming at Arjuna’s destruction and the speaker’s side’s benefit.