Shloka 7
Śalya’s Consecration as Senāpati and Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel to Yudhiṣṭhira (शल्यस्य सेनापत्यभिषेकः)
ततो दुर्योधन: स्थित्वा रथे रथवरोत्तमम् । सर्वयुद्धविभावज्ञमन्तकप्रतिमं युधि
tato duryodhanaḥ sthitvā rathe rathavarottamam | sarvayuddhavibhāvajñam antakapratimaṃ yudhi | tam abhyetya ātmajastubhyaṃ aśvatthāmānam abravīt ||
散阇耶说道：于是，都律约陀那立于自己那乘最上战车之上，前往阿湿婆他摩处——此人洞悉战争的一切形态与机变，在阵中凶威如同死神。及至近前，你的儿子便对阿湿婆他摩如此说道。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, amid war, leaders seek security through the most formidable warriors; it implicitly raises an ethical tension: admiration for destructive prowess can eclipse reflection on dharma, making alliance and power appear more urgent than moral restraint.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana mounts his excellent chariot, goes to Aśvatthāmā—renowned for mastery of warfare and terrifying in combat—and begins to speak to him, setting up a request or counsel involving Aśvatthāmā’s participation.