Shloka 13
Pṛthā’s Atithi-Sevā and the Gift of the Deva-Āhvāna Mantra (पृथायाः अतिथिसेवा तथा देवाह्वानमन्त्रप्रदानम्)
Devanagari script
स तस्य देहावरणं भिनत्त्वा देहं च सायक:
Transliteration
sa tasya dehāvaraṇaṃ bhinittvā dehaṃ ca sāyakaḥ
Translation
Markandeya said: “That arrow, having pierced through his bodily covering (armor), struck his very body as well.”
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्यof him / his
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
देहावरणम्body-covering (armor/covering of the body)
देहावरणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेहावरण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
भिनत्त्वाhaving pierced / having split
भिनत्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
देहम्the body
देहम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदेह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
सायकःthe arrow
सायकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसायक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
म
मार्कण्डेय (Mārkaṇḍeya)स
सायक (arrow)द
देहावरण (armor/body-covering)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
Even strong external protections can fail; the episode underscores human vulnerability in conflict and the ethical gravity of violence, where harm can pass beyond defenses to the living person.
In Markandeya’s narration, an arrow penetrates the target’s protective covering (armor) and then wounds the body itself, indicating a decisive, damaging strike in a battle-like scene.