Shloka 5

Karṇa-kuṇḍala-kavaca-jijñāsā; Kuntibhoja’s hospitality and Pṛthā’s appointment (कर्णकुण्डलकवचजिज्ञासा)

Devanagari script

अमृष्यमाण: सबलो रावणो निर्ययावथ । राक्षसानां बलैघोंरै: पिशाचानां च संवृतः,रावणके लिये यह बात असह्ाय हो उठी। वह पिशाचों तथा राक्षसोंकी भयंकर सेनासे घिरा हुआ दल-बलके साथ लंकासे बाहर निकला

Transliteration

amṛṣyamāṇaḥ sabalo rāvaṇo niryayāv atha | rākṣasānāṃ balair ghoraiḥ piśācānāṃ ca saṃvṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: «Unfähig, es zu ertragen, brach Rāvaṇa auf, gestützt von all seinen Kräften. Er trat hervor, umringt von der schrecklichen Macht der Rākṣasas und von Scharen der Piśācas; Zorn und verletzter Stolz trieben ihn zur Konfrontation, nicht zur Selbstbeherrschung.»

Word by Word

अमृष्यमाणःunable to endure; intolerant

सबलःwith forces; accompanied by troops

रावणःRavana

निर्ययौwent out; departed

अथthen

राक्षसानाम्of the Rakshasas

बलैःby/with forces; by troops

घोरैःterrible, fearsome

पिशाचानाम्of the Pisachas

चand

संवृतःsurrounded; enclosed

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Rāvaṇa

Rākṣasas

Piśācas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unchecked intolerance and wounded pride propel a ruler toward escalation. Ethically, it warns that anger-driven action—especially backed by violent power—tends to deepen conflict rather than resolve it through restraint or discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Rāvaṇa, unable to tolerate the situation, comes out with his full contingent, surrounded by fearsome rākṣasa troops and piśāca hosts, signaling an imminent confrontation.