वैशंपायन उवाच
एवम् आश्वासितो राजा शल्येन भरतर्षभ ॥
पूजयाम् आस विधिवच् छल्यं धर्मभृतां वरः ॥
श्रुत्वा शल्यस्य वचनं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥
प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुर् मद्रराजम् इदं वचः ॥
भवान् कर्णस्य सारथ्यं करिष्यति न संशयः ॥
तत्र तेजोवधः कार्यः कर्णस्य मम संस्तवैः ॥
शल्य उवाच
एवम् एतत् करिष्यामि यथा मां संप्रभाषसे ॥
यच् चान्यद् अपि शक्ष्यामि तत् करिष्याम्य् अहं तव ॥
वैशंपायन उवाच
तत आमन्त्र्य कौन्तेयाञ् शल्यो मद्राधिपस् तदा ॥
जगाम सबलः श्रीमान् दुर्योधनम् अरिंदमः ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
evam āśvāsito rājā śalyena bharatarṣabha ||
pūjayām āsa vidhivac chalyaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ||
śrutvā śalyasya vacanaṃ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
pratyuvāca mahābāhur madrarājam idaṃ vacaḥ ||
bhavān karṇasya sārathyaṃ kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ ||
tatra tejovadhaḥ kāryaḥ karṇasya mama saṃstavaiḥ ||
śalya uvāca
evam etat kariṣyāmi yathā māṃ saṃprabhāṣase ||
yac cānyad api śakṣyāmi tat kariṣyāmy ahaṃ tava ||
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tata āmantrya kaunteyāñ śalyo madrādhipas tadā ||
jagāma sabalaḥ śrīmān duryodhanam ariṃdamaḥ ||
Vaishampayana: And Yudhishthira, the mighty-armed son of Kunti, having heard the words of Shalya, spoke these words to the king of Madra: 'There is no doubt that you will act as Karna's charioteer. Then you must diminish Karna's spirit by singing my praises.' Shalya said: 'So be it. I shall do as you tell me. And whatever else I am able to do, I shall do for you.' Vaishampayana continued: 'Then Shalya, the king of Madra, took leave of the sons of Kunti. And this splendid one then set out with his army toward Duryodhana, O subduer of foes.'
d4cb206fb10a · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:31:49 AM UTC
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The passage 5.18.21-25 develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already underway against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Key themes: Duryodhana, Karna, dharma. Dharma unfolds here through speech, the choice of an envoy, faithfulness to one's word, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.