Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 45
अध्याय ८ — शल्यस्य सत्कारः, वरदानं, पाण्डवसमागमश्च (Śalya’s Reception, the Boon, and Meeting the Pāṇḍavas)
शल्य उवाच शृणु पाण्डव ते भद्रं यद् ब्रवीषि महात्मन: । तेजोवधनिमित्तं मां सूतपुत्रस्य सड़मे
śalya uvāca śṛṇu pāṇḍava te bhadraṁ yad bravīṣi mahātmanaḥ | tejovadha-nimittaṁ māṁ sūta-putrasya saṅgame ||
Wika ni Śalya: “Makinig ka, O Pāṇḍava; nawa’y sumaiyo ang kabutihan. Ang sinasabi mo—ikaw na marangal ang loob—ay nararapat: na nais mong gamitin ako sa darating na digmaan bilang paraan upang pahinain ang ningning at sigla sa pakikipaglaban ng anak ng Sūta (si Karṇa). Napagpasyahan na: sa digmaang iyon ako ang magiging sarathi niya; at si Karṇa mismo ay matagal nang tumitingin sa akin, sa sining ng pagmamaneho ng karwahe, na maihahambing kay Panginoong Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war is fought not only with weapons but also through morale and counsel: Śalya agrees to become Karna’s charioteer in a way that can undercut Karna’s confidence. It raises an ethical tension between personal obligation/role (serving as charioteer) and strategic intent (weakening an opponent’s spirit).
Śalya responds to a Pāṇḍava’s request and accepts the plan that he will be positioned as Karna’s charioteer in the coming battle. He notes that Karna esteems his charioteering highly—comparing it to Kṛṣṇa’s—thereby making Śalya’s influence over Karna’s battlefield mindset especially significant.