Shloka 21

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

स राममुद्दिश्य शरैस्ततो दत्तवरैस्तदा

Transliteration

sa rāmam uddiśya śarais tato dattavarais tadā

Translation

Dann richtete er sein Ziel auf Rāma und schoss Pfeile ab—zu jener Zeit durch die empfangenen Gaben (boons) gestärkt—ein Zeichen einer Eskalation des Kampfes, göttlich begünstigt und doch von moralischer Schwere.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रामम्: Rama (as the object/target)
• रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्दिश्य: having aimed at / addressing / intending
• उद्दिश्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), indeclinable (gerund)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ततः: then / thereafter / from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• दत्तवरैः: with boons that had been granted (i.e., by granted boons)
• दत्तवरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्तवर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तदा: at that time / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power gained through boons or special endowments intensifies responsibility: when conflict is pursued with extraordinary means, the ethical weight of intention (uddiśya) and restraint in battle becomes even more significant within a dharmic framework.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a moment in which a combatant turns his attention specifically to Rāma and shoots arrows, relying on previously granted boons—indicating a decisive, empowered attack directed at a central figure.