Shloka 28

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा राक्षसपति: कुम्भकर्ण तरस्विनम्‌ | संदिदेशेतिकर्तव्यं वज्रवेगप्रमाथिनौ,वेगशाली वीर कुम्भकर्णसे ऐसा कहकर राक्षसराज रावणने वज्रवेग और प्रमाथीको, युद्धमें क्या-क्या करना है, इन सब बातोंको समझाया और उनके पालनका आदेश दिया

Transliteration

ity uktvā rākṣasapatiḥ kumbhakarṇa tarasvinam | sandideśa itikartavyaṃ vajravega-pramāthinau ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Having spoken thus, the lord of the Rākṣasas instructed the mighty Kumbhakarṇa. He then issued detailed orders to Vajravega and Pramāthinī, laying out what was to be done in the coming battle and directing them to carry out those commands.”

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

राक्षसपतिःthe lord of the Rakshasas

कुम्भकर्णम्Kumbhakarna

तरस्विनम्mighty, vigorous

संदिदेशcommanded, instructed

इतिकर्तव्यम्what is to be done; the course of action

वज्रवेगप्रमाथिनौVajravega and Pramathin (the two)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Rāvaṇa

Kumbhakarṇa

Vajravega

Pramāthinī/Pramāthī

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the mechanics of leadership in crisis: a ruler must give clear, actionable instructions (itikartavya) and ensure execution. Ethically, it invites reflection on how strategic competence can serve either dharma or adharma depending on the ends pursued.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that the Rākṣasa king (Rāvaṇa) finishes speaking, then commands the powerful Kumbhakarṇa and issues operational directives to Vajravega and Pramāthinī about what to do in battle.