Chapter 35

“‘Duryodhana said, “Even thus did that illustrious Deity, that Grandsireof all the worlds, viz., Brahman, act as driver on that occasion and eventhus did Rudra become the warrior. The driver of the car, O hero, shouldbe superior to the warrior on it. Therefore, O tiger among men, do thouhold the reins of the steeds in this battle. As on that occasion theGrandsire had been selected with care by all the celestials, indeed, Ogreat king, as one greater than Sankara, so thou that art superior toKarna art now selected by us with care. Like the Grandsire holding thereins of Rudra’s steeds, do thou hold, without delay, the reins ofKarna’s steeds in battle, O thou of great splendour.”

“‘Shalya said, “O foremost of men, many a time have I heard thisexcellent and celestial history, recited to me, of those two lions amonggods. Indeed, I have heard how the Grandsire acted as the driver of Bhavaand how the Asuras also, O Bharata, were all destroyed with one shaft.Krishna also had knowledge of all this before, the knowledge, viz., ofhow the illustrious Grandsire had become the driver on that occasion ofyore. Indeed, Krishna knoweth the past and the future with all theirdetails. Knowing this fact, he became the driver, O Bharata, of Parthalike the Self-create becoming the driver of Rudra. If the Suta’s son, bysome means, succeeds in slaying the son of Kunti, Keshava, beholdingPartha slain, will fight himself. That bearer of the conch, the discus,and the mace, will then consume thy army. There is no king here that willstay in the ranks in front of that illustrious one of Vrishni’s race whenhe will be excited with wrath.'”

“Sanjaya said, ‘Unto the ruler of the Madras who was speaking in thatstrain, that chastiser of foes, viz., thy mighty-armed son of cheerfulsoul replied, saying, “Do not, O mighty-armed one, think disparagingly ofKarna, otherwise called Vaikartana, in battle,–that warrior who is theforemost of all wielders of arms and who is acquainted with the meaningof the whole body of our scriptures. Hearing the terrible and loud twangof his bow and the sound of his palms, the Pandava troops fly away on allsides. Thou hast witnessed it with thy own eyes, O mighty-armed one, howGhatotkaca, screened by his illusions and displaying hundreds of stillslain that night (by Karna). Feeling a great fear all these days Vibhatsucould never stand, fronting Karna. The mighty Bhimasena also, movedhither and thither by the horn of Karna’s bow, was, O king, addressed invery harsh words such as ‘Fool’ and ‘Glutton.’ The two brave sons ofMadri also were defeated by Karna in great battle, though, from someobject he had in view, he did not, O sire, slay them then. That foremostone of Vrishni’s race, viz., the heroic Satyaki, the chief of the Satwataclan, was vanquished by Karna and made carless. Others, such as all theSrinjayas headed by Dhrishtadyumna, have been repeatedly defeated inbattle by Karna the great car-warrior who has achieved all these featsand who excited with wrath, is competent to slay Purandara himself armedwith the thunderbolt in fight. Thyself also, O hero, art acquainted withevery weapon. Thou art, again, the master of all branches of learning.There is none on Earth who is thy equal in might of arms. Irresistible inprowess, thou art like a dart (Shalya) unto thy enemies. It is for this,O king, that thou O slayer of foes, art called ‘Shalya.’ Encountering themight of thy arms, all the Satwatas were unable to get the better of it.Is Krishna superior to thee in might of arms, O king? Indeed, as Krishnais to bear the burthen of the Pandava troops upon the slaughter ofPartha, even so art thou to bear the burthen of this vast (Kaurava) forceif Karna lays down his life. Why should he be able to resist my troopsand why shouldst not thou be able to slay the hostile troops, O sire? Forthy sake, O sire, I would willingly follow the footsteps of my (slain)brothers and the other heroic kings of the Earth.”

“‘Shalya said, “O son of Gandhari, when thou, O giver of honours,describest me before thy troops to be superior to the son of Devaki, I amexceedingly gratified with thee. I accept the drivership of thecelebrated son of Radha when he will fight with that foremost of the sonsof Pandu, as thou desirest. I have, however, O hero, a compact to makewith Vaikartana, and that is this: I will utter whatever words I maywish, in this one’s presence.'”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thy son then, O king, with Karna, O sire, answeredthe ruler of the Madras, saying, “Let it be so” in the presence of allthe kshatriyas. Assured by Shalya’s acceptance of the drivership,Duryodhana, filled with joy, embraced Karna. Eulogised (by bards andpanegyrists around), thy son then once more addressed Karna, saying,”Slay all the Parthas in battle, like the great Indra slaying theDanavas.” Shalya having accepted the office of holding the reins of hissteeds, Karna, with a cheerful heart, once more addressed Duryodhana,saying, “The ruler of the Madras does not say very cheerfully what hesays. O king, solicit him once more in sweet words.” Thus addressed, themighty king Duryodhana, possessed of great wisdom and accomplished ineverything, once more spoke unto that lord of Earth, viz., Shalya, theruler of Madras, in a voice deep as that of the clouds and filling thewhole region there with the sound of that voice: “O Shalya, Karna thinksthat he should fight with Arjuna today. O tiger among men hold the reinsof Karna’s steeds in battle. Having slain all the other warriors Karnadesires to slay Phalguna. I solicit thee, O king, repeatedly, in thematter of holding the reins of his steeds. As Krishna, that foremost ofall drivers, is the counsellor of Partha, even so do thou protect the sonof Radha today from every danger.'”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Embracing thy son then, Shalya the ruler of theMadras, joyfully answered that slayer of foes, viz., Duryodhana, saying,”If this is what is thou thinkest, O royal son of Gandhari, O thou ofhandsome features, I shall, for that, accomplish everything that may beagreeable to thee. O chief of the Bharatas, for whatever acts I may befit, employing myself therein with my whole heart, I will bear theburthen of those acts of thine. Let Karna, however, and thyself pardon meall those words, agreeable or disagreeable, that I may speak unto Karnafrom desire of his good.'”

“‘Karna said, “O ruler of the Madras, be thou ever engaged in our good asBrahman in that of Ishana, as Keshava in that of Partha.”

“‘Shalya said, “These four kinds of conduct–self-rebuke and self-praise,speaking ill of others, and adulation of others, are never practised bythose that are respectable. That, however, O learned one, which I shallsay, for inspiring thy confidence is fraught with self-adulation. For allthat, listen to it duly. O puissant one, like Matali himself, I am fit toact as the driver of even Indra in watchfulness, in managing the steeds,in knowledge of coming danger and of the means of avoiding it, and incompetence to avoid it in practice. When thou wilt be engaged in battlewith Partha, I will hold the reins of thy steeds. Let thy anxiety bedispelled, O Suta’s son.”‘”