भवान् इह महाराज वासुदेवसमो युधि ॥
कर्णार्जुनाभ्यां संप्राप्ते द्वैरथे राजसत्तम ॥
कर्णस्य भवता कार्यं सारथ्यं नात्र संशयः ॥
तत्र पाल्यो ऽर्जुनो राजन् यदि मत्प्रियम् इच्छसि ॥
तेजोवधश् च ते कार्यः सौतेर् अस्मज्जयावहः ॥
अकर्तव्यम् अपि ह्य् एतत् कर्तुम् अर्हसि मातुल ॥
शल्य उवाच
शृणु पाण्डव भद्रं ते यद् ब्रवीषि दुरात्मनः ॥
तेजोवधनिमित्तं मां सूतपुत्रस्य संयुगे ॥
अहं तस्य भविष्यामि संग्रामे सारथिर् ध्रुवम् ॥
वासुदेवेन हि समं नित्यं मां स हि मन्यते ॥
तस्याहं कुरुशार्दूल प्रतीपम् अहितं वचः ॥
ध्रुवं संकथयिष्यामि योद्धुकामस्य संयुगे ॥
bhavān iha mahārāja vāsudevasamo yudhi ||
karṇārjunābhyāṃ saṃprāpte dvairathe rājasattama ||
karṇasya bhavatā kāryaṃ sārathyaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ ||
tatra pālyo 'rjuno rājan yadi matpriyam icchasi ||
tejovadhaś ca te kāryaḥ sauter asmajjayāvahaḥ ||
akartavyam api hy etat kartum arhasi mātula ||
śalya uvāca
śṛṇu pāṇḍava bhadraṃ te yad bravīṣi durātmanaḥ ||
tejovadhanimittaṃ māṃ sūtaputrasya saṃyuge ||
ahaṃ tasya bhaviṣyāmi saṃgrāme sārathir dhruvam ||
vāsudevena hi samaṃ nityaṃ māṃ sa hi manyate ||
tasyāhaṃ kuruśārdūla pratīpam ahitaṃ vacaḥ ||
dhruvaṃ saṃkathayiṣyāmi yoddhukāmasya saṃyuge ||
"O my son, O scorcher of foes, you truly know all that pertains to this world. O king, O best of the Bharata race, how fortunate that you have emerged from this hardship. What good fortune, O king, O eminent among kings, O lord, that I see you, a soul so virtuous, a treasury of righteousness, delivered together with your followers from this ordeal." Vaishampayana continued: "Then, O descendant of Bharata, the king told of his meeting with Duryodhana and gave a detailed account of his promise and of the boon he himself had granted." And Yudhishthira said: "O valiant king, you did well in sharing your pledge with Duryodhana with a contented heart. But do me a kindness, O ruler of the earth — I ask you to do only one thing. O king, O best of men, you will have to do this solely for my sake, though it may perhaps be improper. O valiant one, listen to what I now bind you to. O great king, on the field of battle you are equal to Krishna. When, O best of kings, the single combat between Karna and Arjuna takes place, I have no doubt that you will have to drive Karna's chariot."
a6cecd1bbf74 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:22:50 AM UTC
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This passage of 5.8.26-30 develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort for peace already unfolds against the backdrop of inevitable war. Key themes: Krishna, the Pandavas, Karna. Dharma is revealed here through speech, the choice of envoys, faithfulness to promises, and the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.