Karna Parva — Shalya'a acceptance of the charioteership of Karna

Sanjaya said O great king, your son, approaching the prince of Madras, that very powerful carwarrior, with enough of humility, spoke these words to him out of affection.

O you of truthful vows, O greatly fortunate one, O you who increase the sorrows of the antagonists, O lord of the Madras, O hero in battle, O you who instill terror in the hostile forces.

O best of speakers, you have heard what Karna had said, namely that this hero (Karna) chooses you amongst all the foremost of princes.

When such you are, O you of invincible prowess, O prince of the Madras, I solicit you today with enough of humility and bowing down my head in order to bring about the destruction of my enemies.

In consequence thereof, O best of carwarriors, it is necessary that you should serve me, out of affection, as my charioteer in order to bring about the death of the sun of Pritha, as also to render me a real good.

Having had you for his charioteer, the son of Radha will surely vanquish my antagonists.

Indeed, O greatly fortunate one, these exists on one, who can restrain the horses belonging to Karna, excepting yourself, who are cruel to Vasudeva in battle. So do you protect Karna by all means, even as Brahma protects Maheshvara.

Even as that descendant of the Vrishni race protects the son of Pandu all means in all his difficulties, so, O chief of the Madras, do you support today the son of Radha.

Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, yourself and the most energetic king of the Bhojas as well as Shakuni, the son of Subala, the son of Drona and myself too, all had formed our army.

O ruler of earth, thus nine divisions had : been made of the army, but no such division or allotted share does yet exist of either Bhishma or lofty-minded Drona.

By those two (Bhishma and Drona), who had gone beyond their respective divisions, all my enemies were slain.

Those two foremost of persons, who were very old, were slaughtered by stratagem in the field. O sinless one, they repaired to heaven from here, after having performed the most arduous tasks; as also other foremost of men, having been slain by the enemies in battle, departed to paradise.

So again numerous other heroes, all belonging to our army, after having achieved the most difficult attempts to the best of their prowess and as also other having abandoned their lives in the battle, at last departed to heaven.

O lord of men, this our army the large part of which has been slain have already been massacred by the sons of Pritha, who were at first very few in number. What would be done now?

The sons of Kunti are all possessed of immense strength; they are lofty-minded; and also they are endued with undaunted course. O lord of earth, now act up in such a way that they may not slaughter the rest of my army.

O lord, this my force has lost the most heroic warriors, who were all slain by the sons of Pandu in the field of battle.

Indeed, Karna alone, that mighty-armed hero, is dear to us and attached to our good; as also, O foremost of persons you are, who are the mightiest car-warrior throughout the entire world.

O Shalya, Karna desires to engage in battle today with Arjuna. But O chief of the people of Madras, I entertain very great hopes in that dreadful battle.

There does none exist in the whole world, who can act as the best holder of the reins of Karna's horses; even as Krishna makes the foremost holder of reins of Partha's horses in the field of battle, so, O monarch, should you be the holder of reins of the car belonging to Karna.

O sire, having been attended by him (Krishna) and also well guarded in battle, whatever deeds that the son of Pritha performs, will all be consequently done before your eyes.

Formerly Arjuna, indeed, never slaughtered his enemies in battle; but now, as he is always attended by Krishna, he shows forth such a prowess.

And now, O lord of the Madras, it is witnessed that day after day the son of Pritha causes the vast army of Dhritarashtra to retreat, because he is ever attended by Krishna in the field of battle.

O most resplendent one, the rest of the share given to Karna as well as to yourself still remains. Being accompanied by Karna, do you at once proceed to the field of battle.

Even as the Sun, being attended by the Arjuna, disposes the darkness, so you, being united with Karna, slaughter the son of Pritha in this dreadful battle.

Let the greatest car-warriors, belonging to the hostile force, run away from the field, after seeing in the battle both Karna and Shalya, who are like two risen suns and who also are possessed of the splendour of the rising sun.

As, O sire, the thick gloom is destroyed at the very view of both the Sun and Arjuna, even so let all the descendants of Kunti along with the Panchalas and the Srinjayas be destroyed (at the sight of Karna and Shalya in the battle).

Karna is superior to all the car-warriors, as also you are the foremost of all the charioteers; and there exists no one in the whole world, who is your peer in the field of battle.

Even as that descendant of the Vrishni race protects the son of Pandu in all his vicissitudes, so do you guard Karna the son of Vikartana, in the battle.

O ruler of earth, when you are his charioteer, this hero (Karna) will surely be invincible even in the war with all the celestials, headed by Shakra (Indra); and what again, need be said with all the Pandavas. O, do not doubt my sayings!

Sanjaya said Having heard the words of Duryodhana, Shalya, who became highly enraged and who was stretching his bow to its extent and who, again, was waving his two arms often and often,

And who, moreover, was rolling his two expensive eyes reddened with great rage and who himself was endued with the mighty arms and who also was greatly proud of the possession of his high-birth, properties, vast learning and physical capability, Shalya uttered these words.

Shalya said O son of Gandhari, you are offending me; and also surely you are suspecting my conduct, when you ask me without hesitation by saying-Do you act as my charioteer.

You praise Karna by considering that he is superior to ourselves. But I never reckon the son of Radha to be equal to myself in the field of battle.

O ruler of earth, let a much greater share be permitted to me in the battle. Having slaughtered him in the field, who has come to contend with me, I will repair to the place where from I came.

O descendant of the Kuru race, if it be desirable, I will fight alone. Do you witness today my energy in the field of battle, whilst I will engage in scorching the enemies.

O descendant of the Kuru race, no person, who is like ourselves, ever engages himself in the execution of my duties, after having reflected in the heart such an insult. Do not doubt me (my prowess). In the battle, you should not at all attach such a great insult to me.

See these two my mascular arms, that can smite down like thunder; as also do you behold my bow that is variegated with the excellent colors, as well as my shafts that are like snakes possessing virulent poison.

See again, my car, to which are yoked the most beautiful horses endued with the swiftness of the wind. And O son of Gandhari, see my mace, that is ornamented with gold and threads of hemp.

O lord of earth, when I am angry I can split up the very earth; and I can break as under the mountains, as also I can soak up even all the oceans by means of my own energy.

Why do you, O king, being conscious of the fact that I am thus capable of striking down the enemies, employ me to the office of the charioteer in the field of battle to the son of Adhiratha, who is born of such low parentage.

O lord of kings, you should not appoint me to this menial service. Having been indeed, thus superior to him, I cannot dare obey the commands of that sinful person.

That person, who makes one, who is a guest out of love and who is most supreme and who, again, is already very obedient, submissive to a very sinful man, surely becomes subject to that sort of crime which is similar to one of confusing the superior with the inferior.

This is a truth that Brahma created the twice-born persons from his mouth; and the Kshatriyas (or the people of the warrior class) from his arms, and also he created the Vaisyas (or the merchant class) from his thighs; and the Sudras (or the people of the servile class) from his feet.

Thereupon, O descendant of the Bharata race, the particular classes of persons, that is these born of (superior father marrying an inferior mother, or of a inferior father marrying a superior mother), have all originated from these four classes by means of their union with one another.

It has often been told that the Kshatriyas are the protectors of the rest of the classes, as also they are the possessors and givers of wealth. The Brahmana, or the regenerate persons, are characterised as presiding at sacrifices, teaching and also by the acceptance of pure gifts and again, the Brahmanas, that is, the twice-born persons, were established upon the earth in order that they would shower forth blessings upon all the people.

According to the Dharma-Shastras the occupations of the Vaisyas are agriculture, the rearing of cattle and gift; whereas the Sudras are ordained to be the servants of the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas.

Then, again, the charioteers, indeed are servants to the Kshatriyas; but never the Kshatriyas, O sinless one, are servants to the charioteer class. Do you, therefore, listen to these my words.

I am that person, who have his head (or hairs) washed off with sanctity and I am born of a high family of royal sage and I am a mighty car-warriors and I am person of great note; as, again, I am worshipped and praised by the eulogists.

O slayer of the hostile force, when I am such a person as described, I cannot dare act as the charioteer of the son of Suta in the field.

Thus having obtained this insult I will never battle in the field, O son of Gandhari, today. I ask your permission, as I am really willing to return home.

Sanjaya said Having thus addressed, that foremost of persons, Shalya, who was the ornament of assemblies and who also became highly enraged, immediately went away from the midst of the kings, after having stood up.

Then your son, having received him (Shalya) with great affection and high respect, addressed him in a friendly manner these sweet expressions, pregnant with very grave ideas.

O Shalya, this what you utter is doubtlessly true. In this, I have some object in sight. Be you, therefore, O lord of men, acquainted with this,

O lord of earth, Karna is in no way higher than what you are; nor that I doubt your conduct. It is sure also that the royal chief of the Madras will not achieve what should be unreal.

Indeed, your ancestors, who were the best of persons, always told the truth; and hence it is my opinion that yourself is said to be the descendant of the truthful persons.

O you who confer honors, you are like a barbed shaft to your enemies upon this earth. In consequence thereof you are called by the name of Shalya on the surface of the world.

O you who award ample gifts (to the regenerate persons). O you who are acquainted with virtue, you now achieve for my sake what was told by you before, saying that you would achieve.

Really neither the son of Radha, nor I am more powerful than you. Hence I solicit you to be the driver of these horses of the best species (yoked to the car of Karna) in this dreadful battle.

O sire, even as Karna is reckoned to be superior to Dhananjaya regarding innumerable qualities, so this whole world is of opinion that you are superior to even Vasudeva.

O foremost of persons, Karna is, indeed, far superior to the son of Pritha respecting the management of weapons; and you, too, are superior to Krishna both in the horse-lore and physical power.

As that high-souled Vasudeva is thoroughly versed in the knowledge about horses, even so you, O royal chief of the Madras, is twice acquainted with that knowledge. There is no doubt about it.

Shalya said O son of Gandhari, O descendant of the Kuru race, as you tell me that amongst all these troops there is none more accomplished than the son of Devaki, even so I am highly gratified with you.

Thus I will act as the charioteer of that greatly famous son of Radha, while he will engage in battle with that foremost of the sons of Pandu, even as you, O hero, desire me.

But O hero, this should really be my provision towards the son of Vikartana that I will sent froth in his presence such utterances as I will desire.

Sanjaya said O king, O descendant of Bharata, O best of the Bharata race, your son, accompanied by Karna, replied to the son of the king of the Madras, saying-so be it.