Saturday, July 13, 2013

Mahabharata Quotes - Shalya Parva

Quotes from the Shalya Parva

Shalya, the maternal uncle (Madri's brother) to the Pandavas, took over command of the eviscerated Kaurava army after the death of Karna. He remained commander for not even a full day, and was "slain by Dharmaraja at midday." [9.1] and while the war was over for all practical purposes on the eighteenth day, Shalya Parva continues beyond the eighteenth day and into the nineteenth, and ends only with the duel between Duryodhana and Bhima.

  • "There are seven left on the side of the Pandavas and three on the side of the sons of Dhritarashtra. There are five brothers and Vasudeva and Satyaki. And there are Kripa, Kritavarma and Drona's son."
    [Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra, Shalya-vadha Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 1]


  • "[I]n my aged state, I have now come under the subjugation of my enemies."
    [Dhritarashtra to Sanjaya, Shalya-vadha Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 2]

  • "A weakened person should try to obtain peace through conciliation. War is meant for someone who is prospering."
    [Kripa to Duryodhana, Shalya-vadha Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 3]

  • "In the absence of my relatives, friends and well-wishers, and bowing down to Pandava, what kind of a kingdom will I have?"
    [Duryodhana to Kripa, Shalya-vadha Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 4]

  • "Yama slays both cowards and brave ones."
    [Duryodhana to his remaining army,  Hrada-pravesha Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 18]

  • "O Suyodhana! You may be capable of giving it to me, but I do not wish to rule over something that has been given by you."
    [Yudhishthira to Duryodhana,  Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 30]

  • "If, between the two of us, both of us remain alive, all beings will be uncertain about who has emerged victorious."
    [Yudhishthira to Duryodhana,  Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 30]

  • "O Suyodhana! Where did this wisdom of yours disappear, when many maharathas united and slew Abhimanyu in the battle?"
    [Yudhishthira, when Duryodhana asks that many warriors not fight with him at the same time,  Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 31]

  • "It is almost as if the ancient and unequal gambling match between you and Shakuni is being enacted again. Bhima is powerful and capable, but King Suyodhana is accomplished."
    [An angry Vasudeva to Yudhishthira,  Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 32]

  • "When there is a contest between strength and skill, skill is always superior."
    [Vasudeva to Yudhishthira,  Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 32]

  • "O king! You have placed such an enemy on an even path."
    [Vasudeva to Yudhishthira, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 32]

  • "O Kounteya! Do not roar in vain, like a cloud without water during the autumn."
    [Duryodhana to Bhima, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 32]

  • "Those who have been routed, wishing to protect their lives, but rally and return, must be feared. They will be single-minded in their resolution."
    [Vasudeva to Arjuna, recounting a shloka from a song by Ushanas, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 57]

  • "One can have six kinds of prosperity - one's own prosperity, the prosperity of friends, the decay of enemies, the decay of friends of enemies, the decay of the friends of friends of enemies and the prosperity of the enemies of enemies."
    [Keshava pacifies Balarama, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 59]

  • "King Suyodhana had dharma in his soul and was slain through adharma. Pandava will be known in this world as someone who fought deceitfully."
    [Balarama, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 59]

  • "Do you think I do not know what you told Arjuna?"
    [Duryodhana to Krishna, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 60]

  • "When enemies are many and numerous, they have to be killed through falsehood and other means."
    [Krisna, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 60]

  • "I will get down after you have dismounted. O unblemished one! Descend. It is for your own good."
    [Keshava to Arjuna,  Parva, Tirtha Yatra Shalya Parva, Ch 61]

  • "O Arjuna! This has earlier been burnt by many different kinds of weapons. ... It is because I was seated that it was not destroyed in the battle. ... Now that you have accomplished your objective, I have abandoned it."
    [Keshava to Arjuna, Tirtha Yatra Parva, Shalya Parva, Ch 61]


  • My reviewsVol.1Vol.2Vol. 3Vol. 4Vol.5 (12), Vol. 6 (123), Vol 7
    Quotes from earlier Parvas: Adi, Sabha, Aranyaka, Virata, Udyog, Bhishma, Drona, Karna

    © 2013, Abhinav Agarwal (अभिनव अग्रवाल). All rights reserved.