Shloka 17
Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)
तमचिन्त्य प्रहारं स बलवान् वालिन: सुत:
tam acintya prahāraṃ sa balavān vālināḥ sutaḥ
Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: Der mächtige Sohn Vālis, nachdem er über jenen unvorstellbaren Schlag nachgesonnen hatte, fasste sich—die Schwere des Treffers und die drohende Gefahr erkennend.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that real power includes discernment: when confronted with an extraordinary threat, a hero must first comprehend its seriousness and respond with steadiness rather than impulsiveness.
Markandeya describes a pivotal instant in which Vāli’s powerful son registers an inconceivable strike (prahāra) and prepares himself in response, indicating a sudden escalation in the encounter.