Shloka 2
Kuntī–Sūrya-saṃvāda: Autonomy, Reputation, and the Promise of Karṇa
तौ वीरौ शरबन्धेन बद्धाविन्द्रजिता रणे । रेजतु: पुरुषव्यापत्रौ शकुन्ताविव पञ्जरे,इन्द्रजितद्वारा बाणोंके बन्धनसे बँधे हुए वे दोनों वीर पुरुषसिंह श्रीराम और लक्ष्मण पिंजड़ेमें बंद हुए दो पक्षियोंकी भाँति शोभा पा रहे थे
tau vīrau śarabandhena baddhāv indrajitā raṇe | rejatuḥ puruṣavyāghrau śakuntāv iva pañjare ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: In the midst of battle, those two heroic warriors—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, lions among men—were bound fast by Indrajit’s net of arrows; yet they still shone with a grave splendor, like two birds confined within a cage.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic resilience: external bondage or defeat does not negate inner nobility. True heroes retain composure and dignity even when constrained, and their worth is measured by steadfastness under pressure.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes a battle scene in which Indrajit has immobilized Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with an arrow-net (śarabandha). Though bound, they still appear radiant and formidable, compared to two birds shut in a cage.