Adhyāya 5 (Śānti-parva): Nārada’s account of Karṇa—Jarāsandha encounter and the causal grounds of Karṇa’s fall
प्रीत्या ददौ स कर्णाय मालिनीं नगरीमथ । अड्भेषु नरशार्टूल स राजा5डसीत् सपत्नजित्
prītyā dadau sa karṇāya mālinīṃ nagarīm atha | aḍbheṣu naraśārdūla sa rājāsīt sapatnajit ||
நாரதர் கூறினார்—அன்பினால் அவர் அப்போது கர்ணனுக்கு ‘மாலினீ’ எனும் நகரத்தை அளித்தார். மனிதர்களில் புலியே! அந்த நாட்டில் கர்ணன் அரசனானான்—பகைவர்களை வென்றவனாய்.
नारद उवाच
Affectionate patronage and the granting of territory can establish political standing; yet true kingship is marked by the capacity to secure the realm and overcome rival claimants (sapatnajit).
Nārada narrates that a ruler, moved by affection, grants Karṇa the city called Mālinī, after which Karṇa attains the status of a king and is described as one who defeats his rivals.