Shloka 96
बिभेद शालं सुग्रीवो न चैवाव्यथयत् कपि: । कपिश्रेष्ठ सुग्रीवका हृदय महान् था। उनका वेग भी महान् था। उन्होंने कुम्भकर्णके मस्तकपर पटककर उस शालवृक्षको दो टूक कर डाला; तथापि वे उसे व्यथा न पहुँचा सके
bibheda śālaṃ sugrīvo na caivāvyathayat kapiḥ | kapiśreṣṭhaḥ sugrīvaḥ hṛdayavān mahān ca, tasya vegaḥ api mahān āsīt | sa kumbhakarṇasya mastake pātayitvā taṃ śālavṛkṣaṃ dvidhā cakāra; tathāpi taṃ vyathāṃ na prāpayāmāsa |
Mārkaṇḍeya said: Sugrīva, the foremost of monkeys, split a śāla tree, yet he could not cause Kumbhakarṇa any pain. Great-hearted and mighty, with tremendous speed, he hurled that śāla tree onto Kumbhakarṇa’s head and broke it into two; even so, he failed to injure him. The episode underscores that mere force and display of prowess do not guarantee righteous success—true effectiveness depends on the opponent’s strength, the situation, and the deeper order governing outcomes.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the limits of sheer physical power: even a mighty, noble warrior’s tremendous effort may fail against a stronger or protected opponent. It suggests that success in conflict depends not only on strength but also on circumstance and the larger moral-causal order shaping results.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Sugrīva uproots/uses a śāla tree as a weapon, strikes Kumbhakarṇa on the head, and even splits the tree in two—yet Kumbhakarṇa remains unhurt, showing his formidable resilience.