Shloka 3
मार्कण्डेय उवाच हैहयानां कुलकरो राजा परपुरंजय: । कुमारो रूपसम्पन्नो मृगयां व्यचरद् बली,मार्कण्डेयजी बोले--हैहयवंशी क्षत्रियोंकी वंशपरम्पराको बढ़ानेवाला राजा परपुरंजय, जो अभी कुमारावस्थामें था, बड़ा ही सुन्दर और बलवान था, एक दिन वनमें हिंसक पशुओंको मारनेके लिये गया
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca haīhayānāṁ kulakaro rājā parapuraṁjayaḥ | kumāro rūpasampanno mṛgayāṁ vyacarad balī ||
Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Ada seorang raja bernama Parapuraṃjaya, penegak garis keturunan Haihaya. Walau masih muda, ia tampan dan perkasa. Pada suatu hari ia pergi ke rimba untuk berburu, berniat menumbangkan binatang-binatang buas.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds royal identity as tied to lineage and personal qualities (beauty, strength), while introducing hunting as a typical kṣatriya pursuit—an activity that can be framed as protection from dangerous animals but also raises ethical questions about violence and self-control that the wider narrative may explore.
Mārkaṇḍeya begins a story by introducing Parapuraṃjaya, a young and powerful Haihaya prince-king, and states that he went into the forest to hunt, setting the stage for subsequent events arising from this expedition.