Shloka 6

सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala

Devanagari script

पनसो नाम मेधावी वानर: सुमहाबल: । कोटीर्दश द्वादश च त्रिंशत्‌ पञ्च प्रकर्षति,पनस नामक बुद्धिमान्‌ तथा महाबली वानर सत्तावन करोड़ सेना साथ लेकर आया

Transliteration

panaso nāma medhāvī vānaraḥ sumahābalaḥ | koṭīr daśa dvādaśa ca triṃśat pañca prakarṣati ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “There was a monkey-chief named Panasa—wise and exceedingly strong. He mustered and brought forward an immense force, numbering ten, twelve, and thirty-five koṭis (crores).”

Word by Word

पनसःPanasa (name of a monkey-chief)

नामby name

मेधावीintelligent, wise

वानरःmonkey

सुमहाबलःvery mighty (one whose strength is very great)

कोटीःcrores (units of ten million)

दशten

द्वादशtwelve

चand

त्रिंशत्thirty

पञ्चfive

प्रकर्षतिdraws/hauls; brings along

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Panasa

Vānara (monkey host)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of capable leadership: wisdom (medhā) joined with strength (bala) and the ability to organize resources effectively—qualities valued in dharmic governance and righteous alliances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya introduces Panasa, a powerful and intelligent vānara leader, and emphasizes the vast scale of the forces he mobilizes, signaling a major gathering of allies and military readiness.