Shloka 19
Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)
एष रौद्रश्न सड्घातो महान् युक्तश्न तेजसा । सोमस्य वल्लिसूर्याभ्यामद्भुतोड5यं समागम:
eṣa raudraśna-saṅghāto mahān yuktaś ca tejasā | somasya valli-sūryābhyām adbhuto ’yaṃ samāgamaḥ ||
قال ماركاندييا: «إنها كتلةٌ عظيمةٌ مهيبة، مشحونةٌ بطاقةٍ متّقدة. حقًّا إن هذا الاقتران عجيب—سُوما من جانب، ومن الجانب الآخر الشمسُ ومعها اللِّيان (valli).»
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how immense power (tejas) can appear as awe-inspiring and even fearsome, and how extraordinary outcomes arise from significant conjunctions—suggesting that one should read events not only at the surface level but also in terms of deeper cosmic and ethical significance.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes a striking, powerful ‘mass’ or phenomenon and calls attention to a wondrous meeting/conjunction involving Soma (Moon/Soma principle) and the Sun together with a ‘valli’ (creeper), framing the moment as extraordinary and portentous.