Shloka 9

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

लोहिताक्षं महाबाहुं मत्तमातड्रगामिनम्‌ । कम्बुग्रीवं महोरस्क॑ नीलकुज्चितमूर्थजम्‌

Transliteration

lohītākṣaṃ mahābāhuṃ mattamātaṅgagāminam | kambugrīvaṃ mahoraskaṃ nīlakuñcitamūrdhajam ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Matanya kemerah-merahan, lengannya perkasa; ia melangkah dengan gaya berayun penuh wibawa laksana gajah yang sedang mabuk. Lehernya indah bak sangkha, dadanya bidang, dan kepalanya dihiasi rambut gelap yang keriting.”

Word by Word

• लोहिताक्षम्: red-eyed (having reddish eyes)
• लोहिताक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहिताक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबाहुम्: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मत्तमातङ्गगामिनम्: moving like an intoxicated elephant
• मत्तमातङ्गगामिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्तमातङ्गगामिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कम्बुग्रीवम्: conch-necked (with a neck like a conch)
• कम्बुग्रीवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बुग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महोरस्कम्: broad-chested
• महोरस्कम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोरस्क
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजम्: having dark, curly hair
• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• मार्कण्डेय (Mārkaṇḍeya)
• श्रीराम (Rāma) (implied by the descriptive context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses auspicious physical markers to signal moral and royal fitness: true authority is portrayed as a harmony of strength, dignity, and self-mastery—qualities expected of one who protects dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the hero’s appearance in elevated, poetic terms—emphasizing majesty (elephant-like gait), beauty (conch-like neck), and power (mighty arms, broad chest) as part of a larger account praising Rāma’s exemplary nature.