Maha-Bharata

“The Book of Shalya” is the ninth book of the Maha·bhárata. It portrays, in grand epic style, the last day of the great battle between the Káuravas and the Pándavas, recounting in gory detail the final destruction of King Duryódhana and his army. This, the first of the Book’s two volumes, focuses on Shalya’s short-lived role as general of Duryódhana’s army. Tempted over to the Káuravas’ side by his weakness for luxury and wealth, Shalya had previously fought as the charioteer of the great hero Karna. However, after Árjuna’s slaughter of Karna—to which Shalya himself contributed as a favor to the Pándavas—the Káurava army becomes leaderless and Shalya is consecrated as its general. Martial speeches, heroic duels, and bloody massacres abound on the battlefield, until finally Shalya is killed by king Yudhi·shthira, in accordance with the inexorable proceedings of fate. At Shalya’s death, king Duryódhana flees and takes refuge in a lake.