Shloka 8

Devanagari script

ततस्तौ पुनराश्चवस्तौ वृद्धौ पुत्रदिदृक्षया । बाल्यवृत्तानि पुत्रस्य स्मरन्तौ भृशदु:ःखितौ,तपस्याके धनी वृद्ध ब्राह्मणोंद्वारा घिरे हुए पत्नीसहित राजा ट्ुमत्सेनको प्राचीन राजाओंकी विचित्र अर्थोंसे भरी हुई कथाएँ सुनाकर पूरा आश्वासन दिया गया, तो भी वे दोनों वृद्ध बारंबार सान्त्वना मिलते रहनेपर भी अपने पुत्रको देखनेकी इच्छासे उसके बचपनकी बातें सोचते हुए बहुत दुःखी हो गये

Transliteration

tatastau punar āśvāsitau vṛddhau putradidṛkṣayā | bālyavṛttāni putrasya smarantau bhṛśaduḥkhitau ||

Translation

ثم إن الشيخين، على الرغم من تكرار مواساتهما، غلبهما من جديد الشوق إلى رؤية ابنهما. وإذ تذكّرا وقائع طفولته، اشتدّ عليهما الحزن حتى بلغ الغاية.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तौthose two (they/two of them)

पुनःagain

अश्ववत्like a horse / swiftly (horse-like)

तौthose two

वृद्धौthe two old (ones)

पुत्रof (their) son

दिदृक्षयाwith the desire to see

बाल्यchildhood

वृत्तानिdeeds/episodes

पुत्रस्यof (their) son

स्मरन्तौremembering

भृशgreatly, exceedingly

दुःखितौthe two (were) sorrowful

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

the two aged parents

their son (unnamed in this verse)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when reassurance is offered, deep attachment—especially parental affection—can revive sorrow in separation; compassion must recognize that emotional bonds are not dissolved merely by counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes two elderly parents who, despite being comforted repeatedly, remain intensely sad because they yearn to see their son and keep recalling memories of his childhood.