Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 30
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
धृष्टकेतुर्महाराज चेदीनां प्रवरो रथ:
dhṛṣṭaketūr mahārāja cedīnāṁ pravaro rathaḥ
Sañjaya sagte: «O großer König, Dhṛṣṭaketu — der Vornehmste unter den Kriegern der Cedi — war ein Wagenkämpfer (ratha) von besonderer Auszeichnung.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves a narrative-ethical function: in war, identity is framed through lineage, allegiance, and recognized martial rank. By calling Dhṛṣṭaketu the foremost among the Cedis and a ratha-warrior, the text highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of acknowledged prowess and responsibility within one’s community.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the notable fighters on the battlefield. Here he identifies Dhṛṣṭaketu as an eminent Cedi chariot-warrior, as part of the ongoing enumeration/description of combatants in the Karṇa Parva context.