Hinduism
How Salya came to be the Charioteer of Karna
Dt: 17/7/17
How Salya came to be the Charioteer of Karna
Dr T.H.Chowdary*
Every character in Mahabharata depicts the strengths and weaknesses; nobility and baseness; goodness and evil that co-exist in most ordinary human beings all the time. We can see ourselves in different degrees in every character of Mahabharata. Salya is one great complex character. He was king of Madra Desa. His sister Maadri was the second wife of king Pandu. She bore two sons for him, Nakula and Sahadeva. Thus is the mama, uncle of Pandavas. Maadri committed sati; immolated herself on the pyre of Pandu when he died by disregarding a curse upon him. But Kunti, the first wife of Pandu brought up Nakula and Shadeva, who together with Yudhistira, Bhima and Arjuna came to be known as the Pancha Pandavas, the Five Pandava Brothers .
2. The Pandavas were setting out for war with the cousins led by Duryodhana as the latter refused to part with Pandava’s part of the Kuru Kingdom which the Pandavas reclaimed after fulfilling the condition of twelve years of Aranya vas (dwelling in forests) and one year of living incognito. This was the condition for the loser of the game of dice which Yudhisthira played and lost to Duryodhana. Sakuni, the great trickster played the game of dice and won it for Duryodhana.
3. All the kings in Bharat Varsha made their choice to participate in the war at Kurukshetra. Seven Corps (Akshaunis) assembled on the side of Pandavas and eleven on the side of Kaurava. ( Then as of now, evil attracts more supporters). Salya, Pandavas’ uncle set out from Madra Desa to join his nephews and fight on their side. He was a great warrior and a renowned
Charioteer too. He was coming in stages, halting at one place every night. Duryodhana knew that the decisive battle would be fought between Karna, his alter ego and Arjuna of unmatched fame. Arjuna’s charioteer was the non-arms wielding Krishna. The enthusiasm, the course of the battle, offence and defence of the warrior greatly depends upon the dexterity of the charioteer and at crucial moments upon his advice. Salya was renowned to be as great a charioteer as Krishna; indeed in Salya’s estimate, superior to Krishna. Duryodhana was determined to get Salya on his side, to be Karna’s charioteer on the day of the decisive battles. He wormed his way to Salya. He provided the rest-houses and all imaginable comforts and indulgences so dear to Salya - all without ever giving out as to who was providing all theses. Salya thought that his nephews were making all these comfort arrangements. One day, the totally satisfied, overjoyed Salya loudly proclaimed to the attendants that he would do whatever was asked of him to the person(s) who were making such great pleasurable arrangements for his journey to Pandavas. Duryodhana who lay in wait always, without ever showing himself up heard this pronouncement of Salya and burst himself into Salya’s presence. Salya was surprised. Duryodhana submitted that he was grateful to Salya for his commitment to grant whatever the comfort – provider requested Salya said that he stood by his word. Duryodhana then made his request. Salya mama! “You must fight on my side”, Salya was a man of great honour and self esteem. He was trapped into a promise. Salya agreed to join Duryodhana’s forces even as it meant that he would wage war against his own sister’s sons and the just and wronged Pandavas. Duryodhana was pleased; he got a prize warrior and famous charioteer.
4. Salya went to his nephews, the Pandavas and told them of his promise to Duryodhana that he would fight on the latter’s side. The nephews did not urge him to go back on his promise as it would be breach of code of conduct of a good Kshatriya. But the shrewd Yudhishira guessed why Salya was inveigled by Duryodhana. He asked a boom from his uncle and it was granted – in the moments of the crucial battles, Salya should discourage, abuse and break the morale of the warrior who would engage Arjuna. “ So be it”, said Salya and went and joined the Kauravas!
5. After the fall of Bhishma and death of Drona, the first and second Commanders –in-Chief of the Kauravas, on advice from Aswathama, Salya and Kripacharya, Duryodhana anointed Karna as the next Commander-in-Chief. The Kaurava army was elated and inspired because everybody clearly knew that Bhishma and Drona would never kill any of the Pandava brothers. So now, the real fight would begin. Karna, depending upon whom alone, Duryodhana has been roaring for a fight to finish off the Pandavas, would surely vanquish the foes. On the first day of the battles under Karnas command, Arjuna was completely and for the whole day engaged by hosts of Samsaptaka armies under command of the redoubtable Susarma. Each of the other four Pandava brothers fell into the hands of Karna who could have easily killed them. But Karna gave a promise to his biological, mother Kunti, when at the time of Karna’s daily prayers to Surya she accosted him, unobserved by any and revealed the secret of his birth. He refused Kunti’s entreaties to abandon Duryodhana and join his brothers, the Pandavas. Kunti asked for a boon, for the mother, that is herself. Karna swore that he would not kill any Pandava except Arjuna. In the event of the death of Arjuna or Karna, she would still be left with five sons; the legend of the FIVE would remain as such forever. That was the reason Karna did not kill the four Pandavas that fell into his hands.
Arjuna among Pandavas and Karna among Kauravas swore to their parties that the next day there would be the decisive battle and that one would certainly kill the other. Karna told Duryodhana, for his victory over Arjuna he needed a charioteer as dexterous and renowned and capable as Krishna. Salya alone qualified to match and excel Krishna as a charioteer. As between himself and Arjuna, he, (Karna) is superior to Arjuna but a charioteer as Salya to match Krishna Partha’s Saarathi, is essential for a doubtless victory. Duryodhana accompanied by Kana and others went to Salya and made the request. Salya was furious. He is a crowned, Suskshatria ( noble Kshatria), belonging to the agra varna (suprerior caste) and Karna is a base, services caste Sudra, son of a Soota. How dare Duryodhana ask him to serve a fourth caste person, be he Karna or any one. He would rather himself fight with Arjuna or all the Pandavas plus Krishna, kill them and return to his Madra Desa; he would not serve a fourth caste fellow. Then Duryodhana used all his humility he could summon and sweet, flattering words he could use and cleverness the situation called for to get Sakuni’s consent to be Karna’s charioteer. Duryodhana said that the issue is not whether Karna is superior to Arjuna or who would kill whom. The world wrongly thinks that Krishna is a matchless charioteer. The truth is that Salya is the superior, matchless master of the fine and exacting art of charioting. Since Krishna has been assuring the Pandavas that he is not merely Partha Sarathi but Pandavas’ Vijaya Saradhi ; Salya would now, as Karna’s, saarathi, charioteer disprove the false claims of Krishna. The world would have an occasion to be convinced that Salya was the matchless saarathi and Krishna’s reputation as the greatest charioteer was mere propaganda. Salya mellowed by the flattery; he asserted that he could easily excel Krishna in charioteering; he would convincingly demonstrate his superiority during the Karna-Arjuna battle. Thus Duryodhana’s flattery worked. To further strengthen Salaya’s consent to be Karna’s charioteer, Duryodhana told the story of Tarakasura vadha. Indra was to engage and destroy Tarakasura who was tormenting the devas. Lord Shiva gave half his shakti ( energy and power and valour) to Indra and his hosts but said that if Indra had no good charioteer, he would not be able to vanquish Tarakasura. Lord Siva advised Indra and the devas to request Lord Brahma himself to don the role of a charioteer for Indra in the battle against Tarakasura. Brahma agreed and only because of Brahma as charioteer, Indra could face and finish Tarakasura.
6. Equated with Brahma, Salya redoubled his willingness to be Karna’s charioteer. He then praised Karna’s valour, dharma nirati [ commitment to Dharma and daatritva ( daana or gift-giving nature)]. He then put one condition that he, Slaya should be free to speak his mind on any subject, any person, any situation , any time during his charioteership. This condtion was accepted by Karna and Duryodhana. So, Salya led Karna’s chariot into battle with Arjuna, on the second decisive battle of the Kuru -Pandava war. During the battle with Arjuna, Karna asked Salya what he would do if Arjuna kills him, Karna. Salya boasted, “I will single-handedly defeat Krishna and Arjuna and score victory”. Such was his esteem of himself, puffed up by Duryodhana.
7. Salya’s seeking the freedom to talk as he pleased was to discourage and disparage Karna all the time the battles were raging. Salya praised Arjuna, derated Karna’s power and even abused him. This action of his was in fulfillment of the promise to Yudhisthira that at the time of the conclusive encounter between Karna and Arjuna, he as saarathi would abuse and insult Karna and extol Arjuna to depress Karna.
8. Every character in Mahabharata is complex and reflective of the weaknesses and strengths of men. Salya is typical. He was egoistic, highly opinionated about himself, loved the pleasures of life and when pleased and flattered, would give his word to the flatterer, to the comfort provider whatever its propriety and consequence is. It is an irony that he joined the forces ranged against his own nephews fully knowing that their cause is just. He became the charioteer Karna, the inveterate foe of his nephew and lo ! after Karna’s death, he even agreed to be the Commander-in-Chief of the remnant Kaurava armies. He fought fiercely, even worsted Yudhisthira and put him to humiliation for a while. In the end he was killed by Yudhisthira himself. The pleasures of the flesh can destroy the power to discriminate between right and wrong; virtue and vice as evident in Salya’s conduct at a crucial time.
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