Shloka 15
Karṇa–Sūrya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dāna, and the Amoghā Śakti (कर्ण–सूर्यसंवादः)
हन्तास्मि त्वां सहामात्यैर्युध्यस्व पुरुषो भव । पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्य मानुषस्य निशाचर,“मैं मन्त्रियोंसहित तुम्हें मार डालूँगा। साहस हो तो युद्ध करो और पौरुषका परिचय दो। निशाचर! यद्यपि मैं मनुष्य हूँ, तो भी मेरे धनुषका बल देखना
hantāsmi tvāṃ sahāmātyair yudhyasva puruṣo bhava | paśya me dhanuṣo vīrya mānuṣasya niśācara ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “I will strike you down, together with your ministers. If you have courage, then fight—be a man and show your valor. O night-roaming one, though I am human, behold the power of my bow.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds courageous responsibility: one should not be intimidated by the opponent’s nature or power, but stand firm, act with valor, and confront wrongdoing with disciplined strength.
Mārkaṇḍeya issues a direct martial challenge to a niśācara (rākṣasa), declaring he will kill him along with his ministers and urging him to fight, while asserting that even as a human he possesses formidable bow-power.