Shloka 40

इन्द्रद्युम्नोपाख्यानम्

Indradyumna Upākhyāna: On Kīrti, Smṛti, and Restoration

Devanagari script

भीरुस्तथा शूरमानी शूरा भीरुविषादिन: । न विश्वसन्ति चान्योन्यं युगान्ते पर्युपस्थिते,युगान्तकाल उपस्थित होनेपर कायर अपनेको शूर-वीर मानेंगे और शूर-वीर कायरोंकी भाँति विषादमें डूबे रहेंगे। कोई एक-दूसरेका विश्वास नहीं करेंगे

Transliteration

bhīrus tathā śūramānī śūrā bhīruviṣādinaḥ | na viśvasanti cānyonyaṃ yugānte paryupasthite ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḛya said: “When the end of the age draws near, the timid will fancy themselves heroes, while true heroes will sink into the dejection of cowards. Trust between people will collapse; none will have confidence in another.”

Word by Word

भीरुःa coward

तथाthus, in that manner

शूरमानीone who thinks himself a hero

शूराःheroes, brave men

भीरुविषादिनःdespondent like cowards / having cowardly dejection

नnot

विश्वसन्तिthey trust

चand

अन्योन्यम्each other (mutually)

युगान्तेat the end of the age

पर्युपस्थितेwhen (it) has arrived / is present

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

As the age deteriorates, inner virtues become inverted: false bravado replaces real courage, genuine strength collapses into fear, and society loses mutual trust—signaling ethical and psychological breakdown at yugānta.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the characteristics of yugānta (the end of an age): people’s self-assessment and conduct become distorted, and social cohesion erodes so severely that individuals no longer trust one another.