Shloka 24

Dharma-vyādha on Parental Worship

Pitṛ-mātṛ-śuśrūṣā as Paramadaivata

Devanagari script

तौ प्रहस्य हृषीकेशं महादर्पों महाबलौ । प्रत्यब्रूतां महाराज सहितौ मधुसूदनम्‌,महाराज! वे दोनों महाबली दानव बड़े अभिमानी थे। उन्होंने हँसकर इन्द्रियोंके स्वामी भगवान्‌ मधुसूदनसे एक साथ कहा--

Transliteration

tau prahasya hṛṣīkeśaṃ mahādarpau mahābalau | pratyabrūtāṃ mahārāja sahitau madhusūdanam ||

Translation

Wahai Maharaja! Kedua raksasa perkasa itu, diliputi kesombongan besar, tertawa dan bersama-sama menjawab Hṛṣīkeśa—Madhusūdana, Penguasa indria—demikian:

Word by Word

तौthose two

प्रहस्यhaving laughed

हृषीकेशम्Hṛṣīkeśa (Krishna)

महादर्पौof great arrogance

महाबलौvery mighty

प्रत्यब्रूताम्they replied / said in return

महाराजO great king

सहितौtogether

मधुसूदनम्Madhusūdana (Krishna)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Mahārāja (the king being addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)

Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)

Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)

two dānavas (demons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of darpa (arrogant pride): strength without humility leads to disrespect of dharma and even contempt for the divine, which traditionally foreshadows moral and practical ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that two powerful, prideful demons laugh and jointly answer Hṛṣīkeśa/Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa). It is a setup moment before their words/actions bring consequences.