Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, 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

Mendengar titah raja, Kṛpa putra Śaradvat, sesuai perintah raja, menahbiskan Aśvatthāmā putra Droṇa sebagai panglima bala tentara.

Word by Word

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचनम्: word; command
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• कृपः: Kripa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शारद्वतः: son of Sharadvat (patronymic)
• शारद्वतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: thus; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• द्रौणिम्: Drauni (Ashvatthaman), son of Drona
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नियोगेन: by the command/appointment
• नियोगेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सैनापत्ये: in the commandership; as commander-in-chief
• सैनापत्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैनापत्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अभ्यषेचयत्: anointed; installed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• the king (Duryodhana, implied by context)
• Kṛpa (Śāradvata, Kṛpācārya)
• Śaradvat
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• Saināpatya (office of commander)

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.