Shloka 13

कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief

Devanagari script

मणिमान्‌ दण्डधारश्न राजानौ युद्धदुर्मदौ

Transliteration

maṇimān daṇḍadhāraśna rājānau yuddhadurmadau

Translation

સંજય બોલ્યો—યુદ્ધના ઉન્માદથી મત્ત થયેલા તે બે રાજાઓ આગળ વધ્યા; એક રત્નોથી શોભિત હતો અને બીજો દંડસમાન શસ્ત્ર ધારણ કરતો હતો—રણહિંસાએ તેમનો અહંકાર વધુ તીક્ષ્ણ કર્યો હતો।

Word by Word

• मणिमान्: jewel-adorned; possessing gems
• मणिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डधारः: staff-bearer; wielder of a rod
• दण्डधारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डधार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजानौ: two kings
• राजानौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• युद्धदुर्मदौ: mad with battle; battle-intoxicated
• युद्धदुर्मदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धदुर्मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two kings (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war inflames pride (durmada), suggesting an ethical warning: martial power and royal status can become morally dangerous when driven by arrogance rather than dharma and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the appearance and temperament of two kings on the battlefield—one gem-adorned and another characterized as a staff-bearer—both portrayed as battle-intoxicated, setting the tone for imminent combat.