Shloka 43
Adhyāya 10: Śrutakarmā’s Engagements; Prativindhya–Citra Duel; Drauṇi Advances toward Bhīma
सैनापत्येन सत्कर्तु कर्ण स्कन्दमिवामरा: । ततो5भिषिषिचु: कर्ण विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा
senāpatyena satkartuṁ karṇa skandam ivāmarāḥ | tato 'bhiṣiṣicuḥ karṇaṁ vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā ||
Sañjaya said: Wishing to honor Karṇa by appointing him commander—just as the gods once honored Skanda—thereupon they formally consecrated Karṇa according to the rite prescribed by tradition. The act signals a deliberate transfer of martial authority and responsibility at a critical moment of the war, binding Karṇa to the burdens of leadership and the ethical consequences of command.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Public honor and authority are not merely rewards; they are formal commitments. By consecrating Karṇa through a prescribed rite, the text underscores that leadership in war carries sanctioned power along with heightened moral accountability for outcomes.
Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava side decides to honor Karṇa by making him commander-in-chief. They perform a formal consecration (abhiṣeka) according to established ritual procedure, likening the honor to how the gods honored Skanda.