09.005
Core and Pancharatra: When asked, Ashwatthama suggests Shalya as commander. Duryodhana appoints Shalya to command the Kaurava army.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said.
atha haimavate prasthe sthitvā yuddhābhinandinaḥ। sarva eva mahārāja yodhāstatra samāgatāḥ ॥9-5-1॥
Then, on the Himalayan plateau, all the great kings and warriors gathered, rejoicing in the prospect of battle.
śalyaśca citrasenaśca śakuniśca mahārathaḥ। aśvatthāmā kṛpaścaiva kṛtavarmā ca sātvataḥ ॥9-5-2॥
Shalya, Citrasena, Shakuni, Ashwatthama, Kripa, Kritavarma, and Satyaki, all great warriors, were present.
suṣeṇo'riṣṭasenaśca dhṛtasenaśca vīryavān। jayatsenaśca rājānas te rātrimuṣitās tataḥ ॥9-5-3॥
Suṣena, Ariṣṭasena, Dhṛtasena, Jayatsena, and the other powerful kings spent the night there.
raṇe karṇe hate vīre trāsitā jitakāśibhiḥ। nālabhañśarma te putrā himavantamṛte girim ॥9-5-4॥
In the battle, after Karna was slain, the heroic sons, frightened by the victorious Kashi princes, found no peace except in the Himalayas.
te'bruvansahitāstatra rājānaṃ sainyasaṃnidhau। kṛtayatnā raṇe rājansampūjya vidhivattadā ॥9-5-5॥
They collectively addressed the king in the presence of the army, having made efforts in the battle, O king, and properly honored him at that time.
kṛtvā senāpraṇetāraṃ parāṃstvaṃ yoddhumarhasi। yenābhiguptāḥ saṅgrāme jayemāsuhṛdo vayam ॥9-5-6॥
You should appoint a leader for the army and fight the enemies. With his protection, we, as friends, may achieve victory in battle.
tato duryodhanaḥ sthitvā rathe rathavarottamam। sarvayuddhavibhāgajñamantakapratimaṃ yudhi ॥9-5-7॥
Then Duryodhana, standing on his chariot, appeared as the best among charioteers, knowledgeable in all divisions of war, and resembling the destroyer in battle.
svaṅgaṃ pracchannaśirasaṃ kambugrīvaṃ priyaṃvadam। vyākośapadmābhimukhaṃ vyāghrāsyaṃ merugauravam ॥9-5-8॥
The figure possesses its own body with a hidden head, a neck like a conch, speaks sweetly, faces a blooming lotus, has a face like a tiger, and holds the dignity of a mountain.
sthāṇorvṛṣasya sadṛśaṃ skandhanetragatisvaraiḥ। puṣṭaśliṣṭāyatabhujaṃ suvistīrṇaghanorasam ॥9-5-9॥
He resembles Shiva and the bull, with shoulders, eyes, movement, and sounds; his arms are nourished, embraced, and extended, and he has a well-expanded, dense chest.
jave bale ca sadṛśamaruṇānujavātayoḥ। ādityasya tviṣā tulyaṃ buddhyā cośanasā samam ॥9-5-10॥
He is as swift and strong as the wind, the brother of Aruṇa; as brilliant as the sun; and as wise as Uśanas.
kāntirūpamukhaiśvaryaistribhiścandramasopamam। kāñcanopalsaṅghātaiḥ sadṛśaṃ śliṣṭasandhikam ॥9-5-11॥
The beauty, form, and majesty of the face are like the moon with its three aspects; it resembles clusters of golden stones, compact and well-jointed.
suvṛttorukaṭījaṅghaṃ supādaṃ svaṅgulīnakham। smṛtvā smṛtvaiva ca guṇāndhātrā yatnādviniṛmitam ॥9-5-12॥
The creator, with great effort, crafted a being with well-formed thighs, waist, calves, beautiful feet, and own fingers and nails, remembering the qualities.
sarvalakṣaṇasampannaṃ nipuṇaṃ śrutisāgaram। jetāraṃ tarasārīṇāmajeyaṃ śatrubhirbalāt ॥9-5-13॥
He is endowed with all characteristics, skillful, an ocean of knowledge, a conqueror of the swift enemies, and invincible by enemies by force.
daśāṅgaṃ yaścatuṣpādamiṣvastraṃ veda tattvataḥ। sāṅgāṃśca caturo vedānsamyagākhyānapañcamān ॥9-5-14॥
"One who truly understands the ten-limbed, four-footed missile weapon, along with the four Vedas and their complete narration, is wise."
ārādhya tryambakaṃ yatnādravatairugrairmahātapāḥ। ayonijāyāmutpanno droṇenāyonijena yaḥ ॥9-5-15॥
Having worshipped Lord Shiva, the three-eyed deity, with great effort and fierce vows, the great ascetic was born from the one not born of a womb, by Droṇa, who himself was not born of a womb.
tamapratimakarmāṇaṃ rūpeṇāsadṛśaṃ bhuvi। pāragaṃ sarvavidyānāṃ guṇārṇavamaninditam ॥ tamabhyetyātmajastubhyamaśvatthāmānamabravīt ॥9-5-16॥
The son approached Ashwatthama, who was unmatched in deeds and unequaled in form on earth, a master of all knowledge, an ocean of virtues, and blameless, and said to him.
yaṁ puraskṛtya sahitā yudhi jeṣyāma pāṇḍavān। guruputro'dya sarveṣāmasmākaṁ paramā gatiḥ ॥ bhavāṁstasmānniyogātte ko'stu senāpatirmama ॥9-5-17॥
Placing him at the forefront, we shall conquer the Pandavas in battle together. Today, the teacher's son is our supreme refuge. Therefore, by your command, who should be appointed as my general?
drauṇiruvāca॥
Drona's son said.
ayaṁ kulena vīryeṇa tejasā yaśasā śriyā। sarvairguṇaiḥ samuditaḥ śalyo no'stu camūpatiḥ ॥9-5-18॥
Let Śalya, who is endowed with all noble qualities such as family heritage, valor, brilliance, fame, and wealth, be our commander of the army.
bhāgineyān nijāṁs tyaktvā kṛtajño'smān upāgataḥ। mahāseno mahābāhur mahāsena ivāparaḥ ॥9-5-19॥
The grateful Mahasena, having left his own nephews, approached us with his mighty arms, resembling another Mahasena.
enaṃ senāpatiṃ kṛtvā nṛpatiṃ nṛpasattama। śakyaḥ prāptuṃ jayo'smābhirdevaiḥ skandamivājitam ॥9-5-20॥
By appointing him as the general, O noble king, we can achieve victory like the invincible Skanda, with the help of the gods.
tathokte droṇaputreṇa sarva eva narādhipāḥ। parivārya sthitāḥ śalyaṃ jayaśabdāṃśca cakrire ॥ yuddhāya ca matiṃ cakrūrāveśaṃ ca paraṃ yayuḥ ॥9-5-21॥
Upon hearing the words of Droṇa's son, all the kings gathered around Śalya, raising cries of victory. They prepared themselves for battle, filled with great enthusiasm and determination.
tato duryodhanaḥ śalyaṃ bhūmau sthitvā rathe sthitam। uvāca prāñjalirbhūtvā rāmbhīṣmasamaṃ raṇe ॥9-5-22॥
Then Duryodhana, standing on the ground, addressed Shalya, who was on the chariot, with folded hands, showing respect and equating him to the great warriors Rama and Bhishma in the battle.
ayaṁ sa kālaḥ samprāpto mitrāṇāṁ mitravatsala। yatra mitramamitraṁ vā parīkṣante budhā janāḥ ॥9-5-23॥
This is the time, O lover of friends, when wise people discern between friends and non-friends.
sa bhavānastu naḥ śūraḥ praṇetā vāhinīmukhe। raṇaṃ ca yāte bhavati pāṇḍavā mandacētasaḥ ॥ bhaviṣyanti sahāmātyāḥ pāñcālāśca nirudyamāḥ ॥9-5-24॥
"You should be our hero and leader at the front of the army. When the battle ensues, the Pāṇḍavas will become dull-minded, and the Pāñcālas along with their ministers will become inactive."
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke.
yattu māṁ manyase rājan kururāja karomi tat। tvatpriyārthaṁ hi me sarvaṁ prāṇā rājyaṁ dhanāni ca ॥9-5-25॥
O King, what you think of me, I do it all for your pleasure, indeed, my entire life, kingdom, and wealth are for you.
duryodhana uvāca॥
Duryodhana said.
senāpatyena varaye tvāmahaṃ mātulātulam। so'smānpāhi yudhāṃ śreṣṭha skando devānivāhave ॥9-5-26॥
I, by the commander, choose you, my incomparable uncle. May Skanda, the best among warriors, protect us in battles like the gods do in war.
abhiṣicyasva rājendra devānāmiva pāvakiḥ। jahi śatrūnraṇe vīra mahendro dānavāniva ॥9-5-27॥
O King, after being anointed, like the fire among the gods, conquer your enemies in battle, O hero, just as Mahendra (Indra) conquered the demons.
