Shalya Parva Adhyaya 65 Shloka 43 - Mahabharata | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 43

Devanagari script

राज्ञस्तु वचन श्रुत्वा कृप: शारद्वतस्तथा । द्रौणिं राज्ञो नियोगेन सैनापत्ये5भ्यषेचयत्‌,राजाकी वह बात सुनकर शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्यने उसकी आज्ञाके अनुसार अश्वत्थामाका सेनापतिके पदपर अभिषेक किया

Transliteration

rājñas tu vacanaṃ śrutvā kṛpaḥ śāradvatas tathā | drauṇiṃ rājño niyogena saināpatye 'bhiṣecayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing the king’s command, Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat, in accordance with the king’s directive, consecrated Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā to the office of commander of the army.

Word by Word

राज्ञःof the king

तुbut/indeed

वचनम्word; command

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

कृपःKripa

शारद्वतःson of Sharadvat (patronymic)

तथाthus; likewise

द्रौणिम्Drauni (Ashvatthaman), son of Drona

राज्ञःof the king

नियोगेनby the command/appointment

सैनापत्येin the commandership; as commander-in-chief

अभ्यषेचयत्anointed; installed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the king (Duryodhana, implied by context)

Kṛpa (Śāradvata, Kṛpācārya)

Śaradvat

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

Saināpatya (office of commander)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between formal duty and the ethical darkness of late-war decisions: authority is transferred through recognized command and consecration, showing how institutions of kingship and military order continue to operate even when the broader moral order (dharma) is under strain.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the king’s instruction, Kṛpācārya performs the formal installation (abhiseka) of Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi) as the commander of the Kaurava forces, marking a change in leadership in the final stages of the battle.