Story of Śalya

A king who gave advice and leadership to the Kauravas. He ruled over the Madra or Bālhīka kingdom. Mādrī, wife of Pāṇḍu was Śalya’s sister. Yet, in the great war he stood firmly on the Kaurava side and died at Kurukṣetra. The following role he played in the Bhārata story.

(1) At the instance of Bhīṣma he gave his sister Mādrī in marriage to Pāṇḍu. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 112).

(2) He was present at the wedding of Draupadī in the company of his sons Rukmāṅgada and Rukmaratha. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 185, Verse 18).

(3) At the Śvayaṃvara of Draupadī he withdrew from stringing the bow, owning defeat. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 186, Verse 28).

(4) Bhīma defeated him at the wedding of Draupadī. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 189, Verse 23)

(5) During his triumphal tour of the west, Nakula befriended his uncle Śalya, and entertained him. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 32, Verse 14).

(6) He participated in Yudhiṣṭhira’s Rājasūya yajña. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 34, Verse 7).

(7) Śiśupāla once opined that Śalya was nobler than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 37, Verse 14).

(8) He presented a good sword and a golden jar to Yudhiṣṭhira on the occasion of his coronation. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 53, Verse 9).

(9) When Dharmaputra went to Hastināpura to play the game of dice, Śalya was found to have arrived there earlier. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 58, Verse 24).

(10) Before the great war began he visited the Pāṇḍavas and blessed them. Moreover he agreed to act as Karṇa’s charioteer and render him impotent so that the Pāṇḍavas could become victorious. (Udyoga Parva, Chapter 8).

(11) Śalya joined the Kauravas in the great war with an akṣauhiṇī (a particular division of soldiers). (Udyoga Parva, Chapter 19, Verse 16).

(12) Śalya wished that Yudhiṣṭhira won the war. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 43, Verse 79).

(13) On the first day of the war he fought a duel with Yudhiṣṭhira. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 28).

(14) Śalya killed Uttara, the Virāṭa prince. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 47, Verse 35).

(15) He defeated Śaṅkha, another Virāṭa prince. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 49, Verse 35).

(16) He fought with Dhṛṣṭadyumna. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 62).

(17) Bhīmasena defeated Śalya. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 64, Verse 27).

(18) He fought with Yudhiṣṭhira again. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 71, Verse 20).

(19) Nakula and Sahadeva attacked Śalya. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 81, Verse 26).

(20) Sahadeva defeated Śalya. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 88, Verse 51).

(21) Śalya attacked Śikhaṇḍī. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 85, Verse 27).

(22) In the battle that followed he attacked the whole lot of Pāṇḍavas and wounded Yudhiṣṭhira. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 105, Verse 30).

(23) Bhīma and Arjuna fought with Śalya. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapters 113 and 114).

(24) Śalya fought a duel with Yudhiṣṭhira for the third time. (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapter 116, Verse 40).

(25) He fought with Nakula. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 14, Verse 31).

(26) Abhimanyu and Śalya fought with each other. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 14, Verse 78).

(27) Afterwards in a club-fight with Bhīma, Śalya got defeated. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 15).

(28) He fought again with Yudhiṣṭhira. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 25, Verse 15).

(29) In the fight with Abhimanyu he fell down unconscious. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 37, Verse 38).

(30) Abhimanyu defeated him again. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 48, Verse 14).

(31) He fought for the fifth time with Yudhiṣṭhira. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 26, Verse 99).

(32) Afterwards he clashed with Arjuna as the protector of Jayadratha. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 145, Verse 9).

(33) He killed Śatānīka, brother of Virāṭa. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 137, Verse 30).

(34) When Droṇa was killed Śalya ran away from the battlefield. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 193, Verse 11).

(35) Śrutakīrti attacked Śalya. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 13, Verse 10).

(36) Duryodhana insisted upon Śalya acting as charioteer of Karṇa. At first Śalya got angry about the suggestion, but finally he took up the charioteership. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 32).

(37) As the charioteer of Karṇa Śalya cried down the former and praised Arjuna. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 37, Verse 33).

(38) Karṇa threatened to kill Śalya. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 40).

(39) Śalya cried down Karṇa by relating to him the story of the swan and the crow. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 41).

(40) When Bhīma wanted to cut off Karṇa’s tongue Śalya reminded him of Arjuna’s vow and thus made Bhīma retract from his plan. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 50; Mahābhārata, Dākṣiṇātyapāṭha).

(41) When Karṇa attempted to kill Nakula, Sahadeva and Yudhiṣṭhira, Śalya prevented him from doing so. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 63, Verse 21).

(42) He consoled Karṇa, who got alarmed by the prowess of Bhīma. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 84, Verse 8).

(43) Śalya comforted Duryodhana, who grieved over the death of Karṇa. (Karṇa Parva, Chapter 92, Verse 10).

(44) As desired by Duryodhana, he assumed charge over the army as its commander-in-chief. (Śalya Parva, Chapter 6, Verse 28).

(45) He fought a fierce battle with Bhīma and Dharmaputra. (Śalya Parva, Chapters 11 and 12).

(46) Dharmaputra defeated Śalya. (Śalya Parva, Chapter 16, Verse 63).

(47) In the battle that followed, Śalya was killed by Yudhiṣṭhira. (Śalya Parva, Chapter 17, Verse 52).

(48) Among the souls of those killed in battle beckoned to the surface of the Gaṅgā, Śalya’s soul also was present. (Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapter 32, Verse 10).

(49) Saṃhlāda, brother of Prahlāda and son of Hiraṇyakaśipu was another birth of Śalya. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 67, Verse 6).

(50) Synonyms used in the Mahābhārata for Śalya: Ārtāyani, Bālhīkapuṅgava, Madrādhipa, Madraja, Madrajanādhipa, Mādraka, Madrarāṭ, Sauvīra etc.