Shloka 17

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तमचिन्त्य प्रहारं स बलवान्‌ वालिन: सुत:

Transliteration

tam acintya prahāraṃ sa balavān vālināḥ sutaḥ

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: The mighty son of Vāli, having pondered that unimaginable blow, steadied himself—recognizing the weight of the strike and the peril it foretold.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अचिन्त्य: unthinkable, inconceivable
• अचिन्त्य: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहारम्: blow, strike
• प्रहारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलवान्: mighty, strong
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वालिनः: of Vali
• वालिनः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: वालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vāli
• Vāli's son

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that real power includes discernment: when confronted with an extraordinary threat, a hero must first comprehend its seriousness and respond with steadiness rather than impulsiveness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Markandeya describes a pivotal instant in which Vāli’s powerful son registers an inconceivable strike (prahāra) and prepares himself in response, indicating a sudden escalation in the encounter.