Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

स राजराजो लड्कायां न्‍न्यवसन्नरवाहन: । राक्षसी: प्रददौ तिस्र: पितुर्वे परिचारिका:,राजराज कुबेर स्वयं लंकामें ही रहते थे। वे मनुष्योंद्वारा ढोई जानेवाली पालकी आदिकी सवारीपर चलते थे, इसलिये नरवाहन कहलाते थे। उन्होंने अपने पिता विश्रवाकी सेवाके लिये तीन राक्षसकन्याओंको परिचारिकाओंके रूपमें नियुक्त कर दिया था

Transliteration

sa rājarājo laṅkāyāṁ nyavasan naravāhanaḥ | rākṣasīḥ pradadau tisraḥ pitur vai paricārikāḥ ||

Translation

Markandeya said: That sovereign king (Kubera) dwelt in Lanka and was known as Naravahana, for he rode in conveyances borne by men. For the service of his father, Vishrava, he appointed three rākṣasī maidens as attendants.

Word by Word

• {'saḥ': 'he', 'rājarājaḥ': 'king of kings

• sovereign ruler (epithet)', 'laṅkāyām': 'in Laṅkā (locative)', 'nyavasat': 'dwelt

• resided', 'naravāhanaḥ': '‘man-borne/men as bearers’

• one who rides a conveyance carried by men (epithet)', 'rākṣasīḥ': 'female rākṣasas

• rākṣasī women (accusative plural)', 'pradadau': 'gave

• bestowed', 'tisraḥ': 'three (feminine plural)', 'pituḥ': 'of (his) father (genitive)', 'vai': 'indeed

• emphatic particle', 'paricārikāḥ': 'female attendants

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kubera
• Laṅkā
• Viśravā
• Naravāhana (epithet)
• rākṣasī attendants

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in the form of filial responsibility: even a powerful ruler is shown arranging proper service for his father, modeling respect for elders and orderly stewardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes Kubera residing in Laṅkā, known as Naravāhana because he used man-borne conveyances, and appointing three rākṣasī women as attendants to serve his father Viśravā.