Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अभिषिक्तस्तु राधेय: प्रभया सो$मितप्रभ: । अत्यरिच्यत रूपेण दिवाकर इवापर:,राजन! इस प्रकार अभिषेक सम्पन्न हो जानेपर अमिततेजस्वी राधापुत्र कर्ण अपनी प्रभा तथा रूपसे दूसरे सूर्यके समान अधिक प्रकाशित होने लगा

Transliteration

abhiṣiktas tu rādheyaḥ prabhayā so 'mitaprabhaḥ | atyaricyata rūpeṇa divākara ivāparaḥ ||

Translation

அபிஷேகம் நிறைவேறியதும் அளவற்ற தேஜஸுடைய ராதேய கர்ணன் தன் ஒளியாலும் உருவழகாலும் இரண்டாம் சூரியனைப் போல மேலும் பிரகாசித்தான்.

Word by Word

अभिषिक्तःanointed, consecrated

तुbut/indeed

राधेयःRadheya (son of Radha; Karna)

प्रभयाby (his) radiance

सःhe

अमितप्रभःof immeasurable splendor

अत्यरिच्यतshone exceedingly / surpassed

रूपेणby (his) form/beauty

दिवाकरःthe sun

इवlike/as

अपरःanother, second

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Rādheya (Karna)

Rādhā

Divākara (the Sun)

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?

External rites such as consecration can intensify a person’s visible authority and confidence, yet they do not by themselves resolve the deeper ethical stakes of action; true righteousness depends on dharma, not merely on status or splendor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karna, having been formally anointed/installed (as a leading commander), appears extraordinarily radiant—described as shining like a second sun—signaling his heightened prominence on the eve of battle.