Shloka 16

कर्ण–कृष्णसंवादः (Karṇa–Kṛṣṇa-saṃvādaḥ) — Karṇa’s Statement on Lineage, Loyalty, and the ‘Śastra-yajña’ Metaphor

Devanagari script

अन्मनिं जुहोतु वै धौम्य: संशितात्मा द्विजोत्तम: । अद्य त्वामभिषिज्चन्तु चातुर्वैद्या द्विजातय:

Transliteration

anmaniṁ juhotu vai dhaumyaḥ saṁśitātmā dvijottamaḥ | adya tvām abhiṣiñcantu cāturvaidyā dvijātayaḥ ||

Translation

தன்னடக்கம் கொண்ட பிராமணர்களில் சிறந்த தௌம்யர் அக்னியில் ஹோமம் செய்யட்டும்; மேலும் இன்று நான்கு வேதங்களிலும் தேர்ந்த இருபிறப்பினர் உமக்கு அபிஷேகம் செய்யட்டும்।

Word by Word

अग्निम्fire

जुहोतुlet (him) offer / let (him) pour (oblation)

वैindeed

धौम्यःDhaumya (name of the priest)

संशितात्माone whose self is disciplined/controlled

द्विजोत्तमःbest of the twice-born (excellent Brahmin)

अद्यtoday

त्वाम्you

अभिषिञ्चन्तुlet them anoint / consecrate

चातुर्वैद्याःthose learned in the four Vedas

द्विजातयःtwice-born men (Brahmins etc.)

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (speaker)

Dhaumya

cāturvaidyāḥ (four-Veda scholars)

dvijātayaḥ (twice-born officiants)

sacred fire (homa/agni)

abhiṣeka (consecration/anointing)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate rule and major decisions should be grounded in dharma—validated through disciplined conduct and Vedic-sanctioned rites—rather than asserted by power alone. The verse highlights ethical legitimacy: authority is strengthened when recognized by learned, self-controlled ritual experts and aligned with sacred procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva instructs that the Brahmin Dhaumya should perform a fire-oblation and that learned twice-born Veda-masters should consecrate the addressed person through abhiṣeka. The scene frames an impending political act (installation/confirmation of authority) as a formal, dharmic rite carried out by qualified Brahmins.