Shloka 29
कुन्ती द्वारा ब्राह्मण-सेवा
Kuntī’s Regulated Hospitality to a Brāhmaṇa Guest
तथेत्युक्त्वा तु तौ वीरौ रावणं दूषणानुजौ । कुम्भकर्ण पुरस्कृत्य तूर्ण निर्ययतु: पुरात्,दूषणके वे दोनों वीर भाई रावणसे “तथास्तु” कहकर कुम्भकर्णको आगे करके तुरंत नगरसे बाहर निकले
tathety uktvā tu tau vīrau rāvaṇaṃ dūṣaṇānujau | kumbhakarṇa-puraskṛtya tūrṇaṃ niryayatuḥ purāt ||
Markandeya said: Having replied “So be it” to Ravana, the two heroic brothers—Dūṣaṇa and his younger brother—set out at once from the city, placing Kumbhakarṇa at their head. The scene underscores the swift, unquestioning execution of a ruler’s command, highlighting the tension between loyalty to authority and the moral weight of the cause being served.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prompt obedience and coordinated action under command, while implicitly inviting reflection on ethical accountability: loyalty to a leader does not erase the moral consequences of the mission one undertakes.
After assenting to Ravana with “tathāstu,” two warrior brothers (Dūṣaṇa and his younger brother) quickly leave the city, arranging Kumbhakarṇa at the forefront as their leader.