Shalya Parva
Shalya Appointed Commander
Only a day had passed when the righteous Sanjaya, the disciple of Vyasa, returned again from Kurukshetra.
Dhritarastra realized that it was all over, that Duryodhana and his other sons were dead and his army was definitively devastated by the strength of the enemies. So what Sanjaya told him was no surprise at all.
“O king, the brave Shalya, invested with the position of generalissimo after the fall of Karna, died in the middle of the day, and so did Shakuni and his son Uluka. Your sons were exterminated, and until late afternoon the only one left alive was your firstborn, Duryodhana. However, now he too lies dead on the ground, mortally wounded by the mighty club of Bhima. It is all over, O king, the Pandavas have won.”
Dhritarastra cried bitter tears, and passed out.
Vidura arrived and was immediately close to him, uttering sentences full of wisdom.
Regaining his senses, the king said:
“Sanjaya, even if I already know the unfortunate outcome of this last day of war, tell me everything in detail, so that I know how my son and all the others were struck by the hand of the Lord’s will which in this circumstance wanted to take the form of the children of Pandu and their allies.”
And Sanjaya began to tell.
At the first light of dawn, facing the immense theater of the greatest massacre that the history of humanity has ever known, the elderly and virtuous Kripa begged Duryodhana to capitulate and stop the massacre. Victory was now impossible and everyone knew it well.
“Yesterday Asvatthama asked me the same thing,” he replied in a humble tone, “but I can’t give up. Not anymore. If I did now they would say that I did so only to save my life, I who caused the death of my brothers and my friends. No. In any case it is only a matter of time and then all those who are born into this world are destined to die, so death must not frighten a man who has the slightest knowledge of the truths of life. Since I have to leave this body, after what happened I prefer to do it fighting.”
While the soldiers performed their morning devotions, Duryodhana asked Asvatthama to take command of what was left of the army.
“Thank you for your trust,” Drona’s son retorted. “This is the second time you have offered me to lead your troops, but I prefer to answer you in the same way. I do not think I am the best person, I am convinced instead that the powerful and experienced Shalya could still subvert the fate of a confrontation so far unfavorable to us. So ask him to take your soldiers to battle.”
Thus Shalya was appointed fourth general of the Kaurava army: and immediately countless musical instruments, such as trumpets, shells and horns, caused a sound similar to a mighty thunder that ended up reaching Yudhisthira’s ears.
“This enthusiasm on the part of the Kauravas can mean only one thing: Duryodhana has appointed the new commander. I am sure that our uncle Shalya will be the new enemy to face; no one is more capable of leading what remains of the enemy troops than he is. We should prepare ourselves for a severe test.”
This is a section of the book “Maha-bharata, Vol. 2”.
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