09.006
Pancharatra and Core: King Shlaya was anointed as commander-in-chief. Krishna advises Yudhisthira to take on Shalya directly, himself.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राज्ञो मद्रराजः प्रतापवान्। दुर्योधनं तदा राजन्वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥९-६-१॥
Upon hearing the king's words, the powerful king of Madra addressed Duryodhana, saying these words, O king.
दुर्योधन महाबाहो शृणु वाक्यविदां वर। यावेतौ मन्यसे कृष्णौ रथस्थौ रथिनां वरौ ॥ न मे तुल्यावुभावेतौ बाहुवीर्ये कथञ्चन ॥९-६-२॥
Duryodhana, mighty-armed, listen to the best of the eloquent. As long as you think that Krishna and Arjuna, standing on the chariot, are the best of charioteers, to me, these two are not equal in the strength of arms in any way.
उद्यतां पृथिवीं सर्वां ससुरासुरमानवाम्। योधयेयं रणमुखे सङ्क्रुद्धः किमु पाण्डवान् ॥ विजेष्ये च रणे पार्थान्सोमकांश्च समागतान् ॥९-६-३॥
I am prepared to fight the entire world, including gods, demons, and humans, in my anger, so why not the Pandavas? I will defeat the sons of Pritha and the assembled Somakas in battle.
अहं सेनाप्रणेता ते भविष्यामि न संशयः। तं च व्यूहं विधास्यामि न तरिष्यन्ति यं परे ॥ इति सत्यं ब्रवीम्येष दुर्योधन न संशयः ॥९-६-४॥
"I will undoubtedly become your army leader and arrange a formation that the enemies cannot cross. This is the truth I speak, Duryodhana, without a doubt."
एवमुक्तस्ततो राजा मद्राधिपतिमञ्जसा। अभ्यषिञ्चत सेनाया मध्ये भरतसत्तम ॥ विधिना शास्त्रदृष्टेन हृष्टरूपो विशां पते ॥९-६-५॥
Having been thus addressed, the king then easily anointed the lord of Madras in the midst of the army, O best of the Bharatas, following the rules as prescribed by the scriptures, appearing joyful, O lord of the people.
अभिषिक्ते ततस्तस्मिन्सिंहनादो महानभूत्। तव सैन्येष्ववाद्यन्त वादित्राणि च भारत ॥९-६-६॥
After he was anointed, a great lion's roar arose. In your armies, O Bharata, musical instruments were played.
हृष्टाश्चासंस्तदा योधा मद्रकाश्च महारथाः। तुष्टुवुश्चैव राजानं शल्यमाहवशोभिनम् ॥९-६-७॥
The joyful warriors and the great charioteers of the Madras then praised King Shalya, who was glorious in battle.
जय राजंश्चिरं जीव जहि शत्रून्समागतान्। तव बाहुबलं प्राप्य धार्तराष्ट्रा महाबलाः ॥ निखिलां पृथिवीं सर्वां प्रशासन्तु हतद्विषः ॥९-६-८॥
"Victory to you, O king! Live long and conquer the gathered enemies. With your strength, the mighty sons of Dhritarashtra shall rule the entire earth, having vanquished all foes."
त्वं हि शक्तो रणे जेतुं ससुरासुरमानवान्। मर्त्यधर्माण इह तु किमु सोमकसृञ्जयान् ॥९-६-९॥
You are indeed powerful enough to conquer in battle alongside gods, demons, and humans; so what challenge do the Somakas and Sṛñjayas pose here?
एवं संस्तूयमानस्तु मद्राणामधिपो बली। हर्षं प्राप तदा वीरो दुरापमकृतात्मभिः ॥९-६-१०॥
Thus, the strong lord of the Madras, being praised, experienced joy, which is difficult for the unrefined to attain.
शल्य उवाच॥
Śalya said:
अद्यैवाहं रणे सर्वान्पाञ्चालान्सह पाण्डवैः। निहनिष्यामि राजेन्द्र स्वर्गं यास्यामि वा हतः ॥९-६-११॥
"Today, I will either slay all the Panchalas along with the Pandavas in battle, O king, or I will go to heaven if slain."
अद्य पश्यन्तु मां लोका विचरन्तमभीतवत्। अद्य पाण्डुसुताः सर्वे वासुदेवः ससात्यकिः ॥९-६-१२॥
Today, let the world witness me moving fearlessly. Today, all the sons of Pandu, along with Vasudeva and Satyaki, are present.
पाञ्चालाश्चेदयश्चैव द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वशः। धृष्टद्युम्नः शिखण्डी च सर्वे चापि प्रभद्रकाः ॥९-६-१३॥
The Panchalas, the Edas, and indeed all the sons of Draupadi, along with Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and all the Prabhadrakas were present.
विक्रमं मम पश्यन्तु धनुषश्च महद्बलम्। लाघवं चास्त्रवीर्यं च भुजयोश्च बलं युधि ॥९-६-१४॥
"Let them witness my valor, the immense strength of my bow, the agility, the prowess in weaponry, and the might of my arms in battle."
अद्य पश्यन्तु मे पार्थाः सिद्धाश्च सह चारणैः। यादृशं मे बलं बाह्वोः सम्पदस्त्रेषु या च मे ॥९-६-१५॥
Today, let the sons of Pritha, along with the perfected beings and Charanas, witness the kind of strength and wealth that resides in my arms.
अद्य मे विक्रमं दृष्ट्वा पाण्डवानां महारथाः। प्रतीकारपरा भूत्वा चेष्टन्तां विविधाः क्रियाः ॥९-६-१६॥
Today, upon witnessing my valor, let the great warriors among the Pandavas prepare themselves and engage in various strategies.
अद्य सैन्यानि पाण्डूनां द्रावयिष्ये समन्ततः। द्रोणभीष्मावति विभो सूतपुत्रं च संयुगे ॥ विचरिष्ये रणे युध्यन्प्रियार्थं तव कौरव ॥९-६-१७॥
Today, in the presence of Droṇa and Bhīṣma, I will drive away the armies of the Pāṇḍavas from all sides, O lord. Along with Karna, I will move in the battlefield, fighting for the sake of your dear ones, O Kaurava.
सञ्जय उवाच॥
Sanjaya said:
अभिषिक्ते तदा शल्ये तव सैन्येषु मानद। न कर्णव्यसनं किञ्चिन्मेनिरे तत्र भारत ॥९-६-१८॥
When Śalya was made the commander, your troops, O giver of honor, did not regard the loss of Karna at all, O descendant of Bharata.
हृष्टाः सुमनसश्चैव बभूवुस्तत्र सैनिकाः। मेनिरे निहतान्पार्थान्मद्रराजवशं गतान् ॥९-६-१९॥
The soldiers there were joyful and cheerful, believing that the sons of Pritha had been slain and were now under the control of the Madra king.
प्रहर्षं प्राप्य सेना तु तावकी भरतर्षभ। तां रात्रिं सुखिनी सुप्ता स्वस्थचित्तेव साभवत् ॥९-६-२०॥
Having achieved great joy, your army, O best of the Bharatas, slept peacefully that night, as if with a calm mind.
सैन्यस्य तव तं शब्दं श्रुत्वा राजा युधिष्ठिरः। वार्ष्णेयमब्रवीद्वाक्यं सर्वक्षत्रस्य शृण्वतः ॥९-६-२१॥
Upon hearing the sound of your army, King Yudhishthira addressed Krishna with words, as all the warriors listened.
मद्रराजः कृतः शल्यो धार्तराष्ट्रेण माधव। सेनापतिर्महेष्वासः सर्वसैन्येषु पूजितः ॥९-६-२२॥
O Madhava, Shalya, the king of Madra, was appointed as the commander by Dhritarashtra's son and was honored among all the armies as a great archer.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा यथाभूतं कुरु माधव यत्क्षमम्। भवान्नेता च गोप्ता च विधत्स्व यदनन्तरम् ॥९-६-२३॥
Upon hearing this, O Mādhava, act according to what has happened and what is appropriate. You are the leader and protector, so arrange what follows.
तमब्रवीन्महाराज वासुदेवो जनाधिपम्। आर्तायनिमहं जाने यथातत्त्वेन भारत ॥९-६-२४॥
Vasudeva addressed the great king, saying, 'O Bhārata, I truly know Ārtāyani.'
वीर्यवांश्च महातेजा महात्मा च विशेषतः। कृती च चित्रयोधी च संयुक्तो लाघवेन च ॥९-६-२५॥
He is a strong and radiant great soul, especially accomplished and a skilled warrior, endowed with agility.
यादृग्भीष्मस्तथा द्रोणो यादृक्कर्णश्च संयुगे। तादृशस्तद्विशिष्टो वा मद्रराजो मतो मम ॥९-६-२६॥
In my opinion, the King of Madra is as distinguished as Bhishma, Drona, and Karna in battle, or perhaps even more so.
युध्यमानस्य तस्याजौ चिन्तयन्नेव भारत। योद्धारं नाधिगच्छामि तुल्यरूपं जनाधिप ॥९-६-२७॥
O Bharata, while thinking in the battle of the fighting one, I do not find a warrior of equal form, O lord of people.
शिखण्ड्यर्जुनभीमानां सात्वतस्य च भारत। धृष्टद्युम्नस्य च तथा बलेनाभ्यधिको रणे ॥९-६-२८॥
O Bharata, Shikhandi, Arjuna, Bhima, Satyaki, and Dhrishtadyumna were superior in strength in battle.
मद्रराजो महाराज सिंहद्विरदविक्रमः। विचरिष्यत्यभीः काले कालः क्रुद्धः प्रजास्विव ॥९-६-२९॥
The king of Madra, a great ruler with the strength of a lion and elephant, will move fearlessly through time, like time itself when it is angry among the people.
तस्याद्य न प्रपश्यामि प्रतियोद्धारमाहवे। त्वामृते पुरुषव्याघ्र शार्दूलसमविक्रमम् ॥९-६-३०॥
Today, I see no one who can oppose him in battle except you, O tiger among men, who are as valiant as a tiger.
सदेवलोके कृत्स्नेऽस्मिन्नान्यस्त्वत्तः पुमान्भवेत्। मद्रराजं रणे क्रुद्धं यो हन्यात्कुरुनन्दन ॥ अहन्यहनि युध्यन्तं क्षोभयन्तं बलं तव ॥९-६-३१॥
In the whole world, including the gods, there is no one other than you who can slay the furious Madra king in battle, O descendant of Kuru, who daily challenges and disturbs your forces.
तस्माज्जहि रणे शल्यं मघवानिव शम्बरम्। अतिपश्चादसौ वीरो धार्तराष्ट्रेण सत्कृतः ॥९-६-३२॥
Therefore, defeat Śalya in battle just as Indra defeated Śambara. Later, this hero was honored by Dhritarashtra.
तवैव हि जयो नूनं हते मद्रेश्वरे युधि। तस्मिन्हते हतं सर्वं धार्तराष्ट्रबलं महत् ॥९-६-३३॥
"Your victory is assured once the king of Madra is killed in battle. With his fall, the entire mighty force of Dhritarashtra's sons will be vanquished."
एतच्छ्रुत्वा महाराज वचनं मम साम्प्रतम्। प्रत्युद्याहि रणे पार्थ मद्रराजं महाबलम् ॥ जहि चैनं महाबाहो वासवो नमुचिं यथा ॥९-६-३४॥
Upon hearing these words of mine, O great king, at this moment, go forth to meet the mighty king of Madra in battle, O son of Pritha. Slay him, O mighty-armed one, just as Indra slew Namuci.
न चैवात्र दया कार्या मातुलोऽयं ममेति वै। क्षत्रधर्मं पुरस्कृत्य जहि मद्रजनेश्वरम् ॥९-६-३५॥
"Do not show compassion here, as this is my uncle. Indeed, prioritize the warrior's duty and slay the king of Madra."
भीष्मद्रोणार्णवं तीर्त्वा कर्णपातालसम्भवम्। मा निमज्जस्व सगणः शल्यमासाद्य गोष्पदम् ॥९-६-३६॥
After overcoming the formidable challenges posed by Bhishma and Drona, and the deep-rooted threat of Karna, do not falter with your forces when you encounter Shalya, as it is insignificant like a cow's hoofprint.
यच्च ते तपसो वीर्यं यच्च क्षात्रं बलं तव। तद्दर्शय रणे सर्वं जहि चैनं महारथम् ॥९-६-३७॥
Show all your strength of penance and warrior's power in battle and defeat this great chariot-warrior.
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं केशवः परवीरहा। जगाम शिबिरं सायं पूज्यमानोऽथ पाण्डवैः ॥९-६-३८॥
After speaking these words, Keshava, the slayer of enemy heroes, went to the camp in the evening, where he was honored by the Pandavas.
केशवे तु तदा याते धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। विसृज्य सर्वान्भ्रातॄंश्च पाञ्चालानथ सोमकान् ॥ सुष्वाप रजनीं तां तु विशल्य इव कुञ्जरः ॥९-६-३९॥
When Keshava had departed, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, after dismissing all his brothers, the Panchalas, and the Somakas, slept that night like an unwounded elephant.
ते च सर्वे महेष्वासाः पाञ्चालाः पाण्डवास्तथा। कर्णस्य निधने हृष्टाः सुषुपुस्तां निशां तदा ॥९-६-४०॥
The Panchalas and Pandavas, all great archers, were filled with joy at Karna's death and slept peacefully that night.
गतज्वरं महेष्वासं तीर्णपारं महारथम्। बभूव पाण्डवेयानां सैन्यं प्रमुदितं निशि ॥ सूतपुत्रस्य निधने जयं लब्ध्वा च मारिष ॥९-६-४१॥
The Pandavas' army, freed from distress and having crossed a great hurdle, became joyful at night upon the death of Karna, having achieved victory, O lord.
