Shloka 44

सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala

Devanagari script

तेनोपायेन काकुत्स्थ: सेतुबन्धमकारयत्‌ । दशयोजनविस्तारमायतं शतयोजनम्‌,उसी उपायसे रघुनाथजीने समुद्रपर सौ योजन लंबा और दस योजन चौड़ा पुल तैयार कराया

Transliteration

tenopāyena kākutsthaḥ setubandham akārayat | daśayojanavistāram āyataṁ śatayojanam ||

Translation

Markandeya said: By that very means, Kakutstha (Rama) caused a causeway to be built across the sea—one hundred yojanas in length and ten yojanas in breadth. The episode highlights resolute, dharma-aligned leadership: when a righteous aim is fixed, one must employ fitting means and organized effort to overcome even seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that (means)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उपायेन: by the method/means
• उपायेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• काकुत्स्थः: Kakutstha (Rama)
• काकुत्स्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकुत्स्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सेतु-बन्धम्: the building of a bridge / bridge-construction
• सेतु-बन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतुबन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अकारयत्: caused to be made / had (it) constructed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (णिच्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Yes (ṇic)

• दश-योजन-विस्तारम्: having a breadth of ten yojanas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशयोजनविस्तार
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आयतम्: extended/long
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शत-योजनम्: of a hundred yojanas (in length)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शतयोजन
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kākutstha (Rāma)
• Setu (bridge/causeway)
• Samudra (the sea)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A righteous goal should be pursued with appropriate, effective means (upāya) and disciplined organization; dharmic leadership turns daunting obstacles into achievable tasks through resolve and proper method.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya recounts how Rāma (Kākutstha) arranged the construction of a massive causeway across the ocean—described as 100 yojanas long and 10 yojanas wide—so that his forces could cross.