Shloka 13

कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief

Devanagari script

मणिमान्‌ दण्डधारश्न राजानौ युद्धदुर्मदौ

Transliteration

maṇimān daṇḍadhāraśna rājānau yuddhadurmadau

Translation

三阇耶说道：“两位国王——骄矜自负，沉醉于战斗的狂怒——一同推进：一位以珠宝为饰，另一位执持如杖之兵；战争的暴烈使他们的傲气愈发锋利。”

Word by Word

• मणिमान्: jewel-adorned; possessing gems
• मणिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डधारः: staff-bearer; wielder of a rod
• दण्डधारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डधार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजानौ: two kings
• राजानौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• युद्धदुर्मदौ: mad with battle; battle-intoxicated
• युद्धदुर्मदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धदुर्मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two kings (unnamed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war inflames pride (durmada), suggesting an ethical warning: martial power and royal status can become morally dangerous when driven by arrogance rather than dharma and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the appearance and temperament of two kings on the battlefield—one gem-adorned and another characterized as a staff-bearer—both portrayed as battle-intoxicated, setting the tone for imminent combat.