Salya
Family: Madras · Role: king of Madra · First appears: Book II (The Bride's Choice) · IV. The Suitors
In Book II (The Bride's Choice) · IV. The Suitors, Salya, king of Madra, came as a suitor to Draupadi’s choice, arriving from Madra by chariot. In Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · I. Pandavs routed by Bhishma, he fought Yudhishthir; in III. Bhishma and Arjun meet, he hurled his mace at Arjun, who repelled the attack. In IV. Duryodhan's Brothers slain, Bhima struck him with arrows.
In Book IX (Fall of Drona) · I. Single Combat between Bhima and Salya, Salya rescued Jayadratha, then fought Bhima with maces until both fell exhausted; Salya was carried to his chariot. In III. Abhimanyu's Death, he fought Abhimanyu and was carried bleeding from the field. In Book X (Fall of Karna) · II. Fall of Karna · Part 1, Salya mounted Karna’s chariot to drive him in battle. In III. Fall of Salya, Yudhishthir killed him with a fatal dart.
Relationship record
Life events
- Yudhishthir fought Salya.(Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · I. Pandavs routed by Bhishma)
- With: Yudhishthir
- “And the righteous king Yudhishthir with the car-borne Salya fought,”
- Arjun repelled attacks from Duryodhan and Salya as he charged through the hostile ranks.(Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · III. Bhishma and Arjun meet)
- Bhima struck Salya with arrows.(Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · IV. Duryodhan's Brothers slain)
- With: Bhima
- “Smote proud Salya; from the battle scarce they bore the chiefs alive!”
- Salya came to Jayadratha's rescue.(Book IX (Fall of Drona) · I. Single Combat between Bhima and Salya)
- With: Jayadratha
- “Weaponless the king of Sindhu ran into his sheltering car, Salya came unto his rescue from a battle-field afar,”
- Bhima and Salya fought with maces until both fell exhausted.(Book IX (Fall of Drona) · I. Single Combat between Bhima and Salya)
- With: Bhima
- “Closer drew the watchful heroes, and their clubs were wielded well, Till by many blows belaboured both the fainting fighters fell!”
- Salya was carried from the field to the shelter of his car.(Book IX (Fall of Drona) · I. Single Combat between Bhima and Salya)
- “Writhing like a wounded serpent, lifted from the field of war, He was carried by his soldiers to the shelter of his car!”
- Salya fought Abhimanyu and was carried bleeding from the battlefield.(Book IX (Fall of Drona) · III. Abhimanyu's Death)
- “Onward still went Abhimanyu, Salya strove and fought in vain, And his warriors took him bleeding from the reddened battle-plain!”
- Salya mounted Karna's chariot to drive him in battle.(Book X (Fall of Karna) · II. Fall of Karna · Part 1)
- With: Karna
- “Spake Duryodhan; warlike Salya mounted Karna's sounding car, Karna sought for mighty Arjun in the serried ranks of war:”
- Yudhishthir kills Salya with a fatal dart.(Book X (Fall of Karna) · III. Fall of Salya)
- With: Yudhishthir
- “Brave Yudhishthir marked him coming and he hurled his fatal dart, Like the fatal curse of Brahman sank the weapon in his heart,”
Book II (The Bride's Choice) · IV. The Suitors
- admired: Draupadi (Included among the assembled princes; the chapter identifies the gathering as suitors seeking Draupadi's hand.) “From the distant land of Madra car-borne monarch Salya came, And from Dwarka's sea-girt regions Valadeva known to fame,”
Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · I. Pandavs routed by Bhishma
- enemies with Yudhishthir “And the righteous king Yudhishthir with the car-borne Salya fought,”
Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · III. Bhishma and Arjun meet
- enemies with Arjun “Vainly Salya, king of Madra, threw with skill his pond'rous mace,”
Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · IV. Duryodhan's Brothers slain
- enemies with Bhima “Smote Duryodhan with his arrows, three terrific darts and five, Smote proud Salya; from the battle scarce they bore the chiefs alive!”
Book IX (Fall of Drona) · I. Single Combat between Bhima and Salya
- protégé: Jayadratha “Weaponless the king of Sindhu ran into his sheltering car, Salya came unto his rescue from a battle-field afar,”
- enemies with Abhimanyu “Dauntless, on the new assailant, Arjun's son his weapon drew, Interposing 'twixt the fighters Bhima's self on Salya flew!”
- enemies with Bhima “Stoutest wrestlers in the armies, peerless fighters with the mace, Bhima and the stalwart Salya stood opposed face to face!”
Book IX (Fall of Drona) · III. Abhimanyu's Death
- enemies with Abhimanyu “Next came Salya car-borne monarch 'gainst the young resistless foe, Urged his fiery battle-coursers, stretched his dread unerring bow, Onward still went Abhimanyu, Salya strove and fought in vain, And his warriors took him bleeding from the reddened battle-plain!”
Book IX (Fall of Drona) · IV. Standards of the Kurus: Arjun's Revenge
- enemies with Arjun “Nine heroic Kuru chieftains, bravest warriors and the best, Leagued they came to grapple Arjun and on faithful Krishna pressed!”
Book X (Fall of Karna) · III. Fall of Salya
- enemies with Yudhishthir “Brave Yudhishthir marked him coming and he hurled his fatal dart,”
- lord: Duryodhan “Salya, valiant king of Madra, leads our armed hosts to-day,”
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Extracted from the original text of Maha-bharata, The Epic of Ancient India. Made with Rho MD.