Shloka 27

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Consolation to the King: Exempla of Rāma and the Efficacy of Allies (मार्कण्डेयाश्वासनम्)

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उदाच एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवस्तुष्ट: समभवत्‌ तदा | अवमेने हि दुर्बुद्धिर्मनुष्पानू पुरुषादक:,/८४८ २ 4८८ थक ओ *्थ मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन! ब्रह्माजीके ऐसा कहनेपर दसमुख रावण बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ। वह दुर्बुद्धि नरभक्षी राक्षस मनुष्योंकी अवहेलना करता था

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca—evam ukto daśagrīvas tuṣṭaḥ samabhavat tadā | avamene hi durbuddhir manuṣyānū puruṣādakaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: When thus addressed, Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa) became greatly pleased at that time. For that wicked-minded, man-eating rākṣasa held human beings in contempt.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• उक्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशग्रीवः: the ten-necked one (Ravana)
• दशग्रीवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट
• Form: kta (past participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समभवत्: became
• समभवत्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• अवमेने: despised
• अवमेने: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-मान्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दुर्बुद्धिः: the evil-minded one
• दुर्बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुष्यान्: men/humans
• मनुष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुरुषादकः: man-eater
• पुरुषादकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषादक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

रावण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)
• Manuṣyāḥ (human beings)
• Rākṣasa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral pattern: when arrogance is reinforced, a person of corrupted judgment may lose respect for others—especially the weak—sliding further into adharma. Contempt for human dignity is presented as a sign of inner moral decay.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that after being addressed (in context, by Brahmā), Rāvaṇa becomes pleased; yet his character is revealed as he continues to despise humans, being a wicked-minded, man-eating rākṣasa.