it towards Arjuna. Shalya interrupted him, encouraging Karna to aim at Arjuna's chest instead. Due to the deceptive nature of Shalya, Karna surmised that this advice must be inaccurate, and aimed the arrow towards Arjuna's head. Krishna drove Arjuna's chariot into the earth, saving Arjuna's life. Being Karna's charioteer, Shalya grudgingly grows respect for Karna, admiring his skills, bravery, and ethics. On the seventeenth day, unarmed and on foot, Karna is killed by Arjuna. The nature of Karna's death fuels Shalya with Shalya felt immense remorse for Karna and hatred for Arjuna; he swears to fight on in his name on the eighteenth day of the war. Duryodhana subsequently named Shalya as the new commander-in-chief of the Kaurava forces. Death After becoming named the new commander-in-chief, Shalya became impassioned to fight for the Kaurava cause. Krishna suggested that Yudhishthira should kill the powerful warrior, as the eldest Pandava was not a man of aggression and could meet Shalya's calm demeanour in battle. Yudishthira challenges Shalya and subsequently slays him in spear-combat. Honouring their word to Shalya, Nakula and Sahadeva ascended the throne of the Madra kingdom. References Characters in the Mahabharata