Shloka 12

मातापितृपूजन-प्रधानधर्मः (Primacy of Filial Service) — Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of the Vyādha’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सहसौरेकविंशत्या पुत्राणामरिमर्दन: । कुवलाश्वो नरपतिरन्वितो बलशालिनाम्‌,शत्रुमर्दन महाराज कुवलाश्व अपने इकक्‍्कीस हजार बलवान पुत्रोंकी साथ लेकर (सेनासहित) चले थे

Transliteration

sahasrair ekaviṁśatyā putrāṇām arimardanaḥ | kuvalāśvo narapatir anvito balaśālinām ||

Translation

マールカンデーヤは語った。おお、敵を砕く者よ。王クヴァラーシュヴァは、剛勇なる子ら—その数二万一千—を従え、強大な軍勢の威をもって進発し、敵を屈せしめんとした。この段は王者の責務を示す。力と子孫とは、秩序を護り、敵対の勢いを抑えるために向けられるべきであって、無謀な侵略のためではない。

Word by Word

सहसाsuddenly/at once

एकविंशत्याwith twenty-one (by twenty-one)

पुत्राणाम्of sons

अरिमर्दनःenemy-crusher (destroyer of foes)

कुवलाश्वःKuvalāśva (proper name)

नरपतिःking (lord of men)

अन्वितःaccompanied/attended (by)

बलशालिनाम्of the strong/powerful

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Kuvalāśva

Kuvalāśva's sons (21,000)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Royal power—symbolized by a vast, strong progeny and military support—should be exercised as a dharmic duty: to restrain hostile forces and uphold order, rather than for personal pride or needless violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes King Kuvalāśva setting out, accompanied by his twenty-one thousand powerful sons, indicating a major royal expedition or campaign framed as the subduing of enemies.