09.006
Pancharatra and Core: King Shlaya was anointed as commander-in-chief. Krishna advises Yudhisthira to take on Shalya directly, himself.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
etacchrutvā vaco rājño madrarājaḥ pratāpavān। duryodhanaṃ tadā rājanvākyametaduvāca ha ॥9-6-1॥
Upon hearing the king's words, the powerful king of Madra addressed Duryodhana, saying these words, O king.
duryodhana mahābāho śṛṇu vākyavidāṃ vara। yāvetau manyase kṛṣṇau rathasthau rathināṃ varau ॥ na me tulyāvubhāvetau bāhuvīrye kathaṃcana ॥9-6-2॥
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.
udyatāṃ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ sasurāsuramānavām। yodhayeyaṃ raṇamukhe saṅkruddhaḥ kimu pāṇḍavān ॥ vijeṣye ca raṇe pārthānsomakāṃśca samāgatān ॥9-6-3॥
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.
ahaṁ senāpraṇetā te bhaviṣyāmi na saṁśayaḥ। taṁ ca vyūhaṁ vidhāsyāmi na tariṣyanti yaṁ pare ॥ iti satyaṁ bravīmy eṣa duryodhana na saṁśayaḥ ॥9-6-4॥
"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."
evamuktastato rājā madrādhipatimañjasā। abhyaṣiñcata senāyā madhye bharatasattama ॥ vidhinā śāstradṛṣṭena hṛṣṭarūpo viśāṃ pate ॥9-6-5॥
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.
abhiṣikte tatastasminsiṃhanādo mahānabhūt। tava sainyeṣvavādyanta vāditrāṇi ca bhārata ॥9-6-6॥
After he was anointed, a great lion's roar arose. In your armies, O Bharata, musical instruments were played.
hṛṣṭāś cāsaṃs tadā yodhā madrakāś ca mahārathāḥ। tuṣṭuvuś caiva rājānaṃ śalyam āhavaśobhinam ॥9-6-7॥
The joyful warriors and the great charioteers of the Madras then praised King Shalya, who was glorious in battle.
jaya rājanś ciraṃ jīva jahi śatrūn samāgatān। tava bāhubalaṃ prāpya dhārtarāṣṭrā mahābalāḥ ॥ nikhilāṃ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ praśāsantu hatadviṣaḥ ॥9-6-8॥
"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."
tvaṁ hi śakto raṇe jetuṁ sasurāsuramānavān। martyadharmāṇa iha tu kimu somakasṛñjayān ॥9-6-9॥
You are indeed powerful enough to conquer in battle alongside gods, demons, and humans; so what challenge do the Somakas and Sṛñjayas pose here?
evaṃ saṃstūyamānastu madrāṇāmadhipo balī। harṣaṃ prāpa tadā vīro durāpamakṛtātmabhiḥ ॥9-6-10॥
Thus, the strong lord of the Madras, being praised, experienced joy, which is difficult for the unrefined to attain.
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya said:
adyaivāhaṃ raṇe sarvān pāñcālān saha pāṇḍavaiḥ। nihaniṣyāmi rājendra svargaṃ yāsyāmi vā hataḥ ॥9-6-11॥
"Today, I will either slay all the Panchalas along with the Pandavas in battle, O king, or I will go to heaven if slain."
adya paśyantu māṁ lokā vicarantamabhītavat। adya pāṇḍusutāḥ sarve vāsudevaḥ sasātyakiḥ ॥9-6-12॥
Today, let the world witness me moving fearlessly. Today, all the sons of Pandu, along with Vasudeva and Satyaki, are present.
pāñcālāścedayaścaiva draupadeyāśca sarvaśaḥ। dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca sarve cāpi prabhadrakāḥ ॥9-6-13॥
The Panchalas, the Edas, and indeed all the sons of Draupadi, along with Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and all the Prabhadrakas were present.
vikramaṁ mama paśyantu dhanuṣaśca mahadbalam। lāghavaṁ cāstravīryaṁ ca bhujayośca balaṁ yudhi ॥9-6-14॥
"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."
adya paśyantu me pārthāḥ siddhāśca saha cāraṇaiḥ। yādṛśaṃ me balaṃ bāhvoḥ sampadasteṣu yā ca me ॥9-6-15॥
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.
adya me vikramaṁ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavānāṁ mahārathāḥ। pratīkāraparā bhūtvā ceṣṭantāṁ vividhāḥ kriyāḥ ॥9-6-16॥
Today, upon witnessing my valor, let the great warriors among the Pandavas prepare themselves and engage in various strategies.
adya sainyāni pāṇḍūnāṃ drāvayiṣye samantataḥ। droṇabhīṣmāvati vibho sūtaputraṃ ca saṃyuge ॥ vicariṣye raṇe yudhyanpriyārthaṃ tava kaurava ॥9-6-17॥
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.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
abhiṣikte tadā śalye tava sainyeṣu mānada। na karṇavyasanaṃ kiñcinmenire tatra bhārata ॥9-6-18॥
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.
hṛṣṭāḥ sumanasaścaiva babhūvustatra sainikāḥ। menire nihatānpārthānmadrarājavaśaṃ gatān ॥9-6-19॥
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.
praharṣaṃ prāpya senā tu tāvakī bharatarṣabha। tāṃ rātriṃ sukhini suptā svasthacitteva sābhavat ॥9-6-20॥
Having achieved great joy, your army, O best of the Bharatas, slept peacefully that night, as if with a calm mind.
sainyasya tava taṁ śabdaṁ śrutvā rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। vārṣṇeyamabravīdvākyaṁ sarvakṣatrasya śṛṇvataḥ ॥9-6-21॥
Upon hearing the sound of your army, King Yudhishthira addressed Krishna with words, as all the warriors listened.
madrarājaḥ kṛtaḥ śalyo dhārtarāṣṭreṇa mādhava। senāpatirmaheṣvāsaḥ sarvasainyeṣu pūjitaḥ ॥9-6-22॥
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.
etacchrutvā yathābhūtaṃ kuru mādhava yatkṣamam। bhavānnetā ca goptā ca vidhatsva yadanantaram ॥9-6-23॥
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.
tamabravīnmahārāja vāsudevo janādhipam। ārtāyanimahaṃ jāne yathātattvena bhārata ॥9-6-24॥
Vasudeva addressed the great king, saying, 'O Bhārata, I truly know Ārtāyani.'
vīryavāṃśca mahātejā mahātmā ca viśeṣataḥ। kṛtī ca citrayodhī ca saṃyukto lāghavena ca ॥9-6-25॥
He is a strong and radiant great soul, especially accomplished and a skilled warrior, endowed with agility.
yādṛgbhīṣmastathā droṇo yādṛkkaṛṇaśca saṃyuge। tādṛśastadviśiṣṭo vā madrarājo mato mama ॥9-6-26॥
In my opinion, the King of Madra is as distinguished as Bhishma, Drona, and Karna in battle, or perhaps even more so.
yudhyamānasya tasyājau cintayanneva bhārata। yoddhāraṃ nādhigacchāmi tulyarūpaṃ janādhipa ॥9-6-27॥
O Bharata, while thinking in the battle of the fighting one, I do not find a warrior of equal form, O lord of people.
śikhaṇḍyarjunabhīmānāṃ sātvatasya ca bhārata। dhṛṣṭadyumnasya ca tathā balenābhyadhiko raṇe ॥9-6-28॥
O Bharata, Shikhandi, Arjuna, Bhima, Satyaki, and Dhrishtadyumna were superior in strength in battle.
madrarājo mahārāja siṃhadvivadavikramaḥ। vicariṣyatyabhīḥ kāle kālaḥ kruddhaḥ prajāsiva ॥9-6-29॥
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.
tasyādya na prapaśyāmi pratiyoddhāramāhave। tvāmṛte puruṣavyāghra śārdūlasamavikramam ॥9-6-30॥
Today, I see no one who can oppose him in battle except you, O tiger among men, who are as valiant as a tiger.
sadevaloke kṛtsne'sminnānyastvattaḥ pumānbhavet। madrarājaṃ raṇe kruddhaṃ yo hanyātkurunandana ॥ ahanyahani yudhyantaṃ kṣobhayantaṃ balaṃ tava ॥9-6-31॥
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.
tasmājjahi raṇe śalyaṃ maghavāniva śambaram। atipaścād asau vīro dhārtarāṣṭreṇa satkṛtaḥ ॥9-6-32॥
Therefore, defeat Śalya in battle just as Indra defeated Śambara. Later, this hero was honored by Dhritarashtra.
tavaiva hi jayo nūnaṃ hate madreśvare yudhi। tasminhate hataṃ sarvaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrabalaṃ mahat ॥9-6-33॥
"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."
etacchrutvā mahārāja vacanaṃ mama sāmpratam। pratyudyāhi raṇe pārtha madrarājaṃ mahābalam ॥ jahi cainaṃ mahābāho vāsavo namuciṃ yathā ॥9-6-34॥
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.
na caivātra dayā kāryā mātulo'yaṃ mameti vai। kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya jahi madrajaneśvaram ॥9-6-35॥
"Do not show compassion here, as this is my uncle. Indeed, prioritize the warrior's duty and slay the king of Madra."
bhīṣmadroṇārṇavaṃ tīrtvā karṇapātālasambhavam। mā nimajjasva sagaṇaḥ śalyamāsādya goṣpadam ॥9-6-36॥
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.
yacca te tapaso vīryaṃ yacca kṣātraṃ balaṃ tava। taddarśaya raṇe sarvaṃ jahi cainaṃ mahāratham ॥9-6-37॥
Show all your strength of penance and warrior's power in battle and defeat this great chariot-warrior.
etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ keśavaḥ paravīrahā। jagāma śibiraṃ sāyaṃ pūjyamāno'tha pāṇḍavaiḥ ॥9-6-38॥
After speaking these words, Keshava, the slayer of enemy heroes, went to the camp in the evening, where he was honored by the Pandavas.
keśave tu tadā yāte dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। visṛjya sarvānbhrātṝṃśca pāñcālānatha somakān ॥ suṣvāpa rajanīṃ tāṃ tu viśalya iva kuñjaraḥ ॥9-6-39॥
When Keshava had departed, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, after dismissing all his brothers, the Panchalas, and the Somakas, slept that night like an unwounded elephant.
te ca sarve maheṣvāsāḥ pāñcālāḥ pāṇḍavāstathā। karṇasya nidhane hṛṣṭāḥ suṣupustāṃ niśāṃ tadā ॥9-6-40॥
The Panchalas and Pandavas, all great archers, were filled with joy at Karna's death and slept peacefully that night.
gatajvaraṁ maheṣvāsaṁ tīrṇapāraṁ mahāratham। babhūva pāṇḍaveyānāṁ sainyaṁ pramuditaṁ niśi ॥ sūtaputrasya nidhane jayaṁ labdhvā ca māriṣa ॥9-6-41॥
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.
