Shloka 10
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
सपत्नानां निहन्ता च महत्या सेनया वृतः
sapatnānāṁ nihantā ca mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ
Sañjaya said: “He was a slayer of rival foes, and he stood surrounded by a vast army.” The line underscores the war-ethic of the epic: prowess is measured not only by personal valor but also by the strategic reality of being supported and enclosed by one’s forces in the unfolding conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s martial ethic: a warrior’s identity is framed through the defeat of adversaries and the collective power of an army, reminding readers that battlefield outcomes arise from both individual prowess and organized support.
Sañjaya describes a prominent warrior as a killer of enemies, positioned amid and protected by a large military formation—setting the scene for imminent combat and emphasizing the scale and intensity of the engagement.