Shloka 17

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Consolation to the King: Exempla of Rāma and the Efficacy of Allies (मार्कण्डेयाश्वासनम्)

Devanagari script

अध:शायी कुम्भकर्णो यताहारो यतव्रतः । विभीषण: शीर्णपर्णमेकम भ्यवहारयन्‌,कुम्भकर्णने भी आहारका संयम किया। वह भूमिपर सोता और कठोर नियमोंका पालन करता था। विभीषण केवल एक सूखा पत्ता खाकर रहते थे

Transliteration

adhaḥśāyī kumbhakarṇo yatāhāro yatavrataḥ | vibhīṣaṇaḥ śīrṇaparṇam ekam abhyavahārayan |

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Kumbhakarṇa lay down upon the ground, restraining his food and observing strict vows. Vibhīṣaṇa, on the other hand, sustained himself by eating only a single withered leaf.” The passage highlights austerity and self-control as ethical disciplines, contrasting different modes of restraint within the same lineage.

Word by Word

• अधःशायी: lying on the ground (one who lies below)
• अधःशायी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधःशायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुम्भकर्णः: Kumbhakarna
• कुम्भकर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यताहारः: restrained in food; of controlled diet
• यताहारः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यताहार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यतव्रतः: restrained in vows; observing strict vows
• यतव्रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतव्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विभीषणः: Vibhishana
• विभीषणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शीर्णपर्णम्: a withered/dry leaf
• शीर्णपर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्णपर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यवहारयन्: eating; consuming
• अभ्यवहारयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+आ√हृ (अभ्यवहरति)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Participle (Shatru)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• withered leaf (śīrṇa-parṇa)