Shloka 4
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
तामवेक्ष्य ततः क्रुद्ध/ समपध्यायत द्विज: । भृशं क्रोधाभिभूतेन बलाका सा निरीक्षिता
tām avekṣya tataḥ kruddhaḥ samapadhyāyat dvijaḥ | bhṛśaṁ krodhābhibhūtena balākā sā nirīkṣitā ||
Seeing her, the brahmin then became enraged and began to brood with hostile intent. Overpowered by fierce anger, he fixed his gaze upon that crane—his wrath gathering as he stared.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger can seize even a learned person and distort perception and intention; it implicitly warns that ethical conduct (dharma) requires mastery over krodha and mindful restraint before acting.
Markandeya describes a brahmin who, upon seeing a crane, becomes intensely angry and stares at it with hostile, brooding intent—setting up the next events where anger-driven reaction leads to consequences and instruction.