Shloka 303
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
विशीर्णदन्तं निहतं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि । जब तुम देखोगे कि भीमसेनने संग्रामभूमिमें गजराजोंकी सेनाके दाँत तोड़-तोड़कर उसका संहार कर डाला है, तब तुम इस प्रकार नहीं बोल सकोगे
viśīrṇadantaṃ nihataṃ tadā naivaṃ vadiṣyasi |
Sinabi ni Śalya: “Kapag nakita mo sa larangan ng digmaan ang hukbo ng mga elepante—ang mga pangil ay wasak at ang mga hanay ay nilipol ni Bhīmasena—hindi ka na makapagsasalita nang ganito.” Pinapagalitan ng pahayag ang pagyayabang nang wala pa sa gawa, at iginigiit na sa digmaan, ang paghatol ay dapat sumunod sa nasaksihang gawa, hindi sa salita lamang.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Words and confidence must be tested by observable action; in the ethics of war, true assessment comes after witnessing prowess and results, not from prior boasting or dismissive speech.
Śalya addresses his interlocutor (contextually, Karṇa) and predicts that once Bhīmasena is seen crushing the elephant forces—breaking tusks and slaughtering them—the earlier manner of speaking (likely contempt or overconfidence) will cease.