Shloka 96
Pṛthā’s Atithi-Sevā and the Gift of the Deva-Āhvāna Mantra (पृथायाः अतिथिसेवा तथा देवाह्वानमन्त्रप्रदानम्)
बिभेद शालं सुग्रीवो न चैवाव्यथयत् कपि: । कपिश्रेष्ठ सुग्रीवका हृदय महान् था। उनका वेग भी महान् था। उन्होंने कुम्भकर्णके मस्तकपर पटककर उस शालवृक्षको दो टूक कर डाला; तथापि वे उसे व्यथा न पहुँचा सके
bibheda śālaṃ sugrīvo na caivāvyathayat kapiḥ | kapiśreṣṭhaḥ sugrīvaḥ hṛdayavān mahān ca, tasya vegaḥ api mahān āsīt | sa kumbhakarṇasya mastake pātayitvā taṃ śālavṛkṣaṃ dvidhā cakāra; tathāpi taṃ vyathāṃ na prāpayāmāsa |
Sugrīva, yang terunggul di antara wanara, memecah pohon śāla itu menjadi dua ketika menghantamkannya ke kepala Kumbhakarṇa; namun ia tetap tak sanggup menimbulkan rasa sakit padanya.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the limits of sheer physical power: even a mighty, noble warrior’s tremendous effort may fail against a stronger or protected opponent. It suggests that success in conflict depends not only on strength but also on circumstance and the larger moral-causal order shaping results.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Sugrīva uproots/uses a śāla tree as a weapon, strikes Kumbhakarṇa on the head, and even splits the tree in two—yet Kumbhakarṇa remains unhurt, showing his formidable resilience.