Shloka 33

मातापितृपूजन-प्रधानधर्मः (Primacy of Filial Service) — Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of the Vyādha’s Instruction

Devanagari script

धुन्धोर्वधात्‌ तदा राजा कुवलाश्वो महामना:

Transliteration

dhundhor vadhāt tadā rājā kuvalāśvo mahāmanāḥ

Translation

धुन्धु के वध के पश्चात् वह महामना राजा कुवलाश्व लोक-रक्षा के धर्मकर्म के अनुसार कीर्ति से विभूषित होकर सर्वत्र पूजित हुए।

Word by Word

• धुन्धोः: of Dhundhu
• धुन्धोः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वधात्: from the slaying
• वधात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

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

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुवलाश्वः: Kuvalāśva
• कुवलाश्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुवलाश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महामनाः: great-minded
• महामनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Dhundhu
• King Kuvalāśva

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s dharma is to remove threats that harm the world and protect beings; such righteous action, done with noble intent, becomes a source of lasting merit and honorable renown.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya continues the account of Kuvalāśva: the verse marks the moment after Dhundhu has been slain, highlighting Kuvalāśva’s noble character and the significance of the deed.