Shloka 26

Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)

Devanagari script

स्कन्दापस्मारमित्याहुर्ग्रहं तं द्विजसत्तमा: । विनता तु महारौद्रा कथ्यते शकुनिग्रह:,श्रेष्ठ द्विज! इस ग्रहको 'स्कन्दापस्मार' कहते हैं। इसी प्रकार अत्यन्त रौद्र रूप धारण करनेवाली विनताको “शकुनि ग्रह” बताया जाता है

Transliteration

skandāpasmaram ity āhur grahaṃ taṃ dvijasattamāḥ | vinatā tu mahāraudrā kathyate śakunigrahaḥ ||

Translation

マーラカンデーヤは言った。「おお、二度生まれのうち最勝の者よ。最上の婆羅門たちは、そのグラハを『スカンダーアパスマラー』と呼ぶ。また、ヴィナターがきわめて恐るべき姿を取るときは『シャクニ・グラハ』と語られる—凶鳥の兆しに結びつく、不吉な取り憑きである。」

Word by Word

स्कन्दापस्मारम्Skandāpas्मāra (name of a seizure/affliction)

इतिthus

आहुःthey say/call

ग्रहम्seizer; graha (afflicting spirit/seizure)

तम्that

द्विजसत्तमाःbest of the twice-born (excellent Brahmins)

विनताVinatā

तुbut/and

महारौद्राvery fierce/terribly dreadful (in form)

कथ्यतेis said/called

शकुनिग्रहःŚakuni-graha (the bird-related seizer/affliction)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skandāpasmarā (graha)

Vinatā

Śakuni-graha

Dvijas (Brahmins)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames afflictions as classified ‘grahas’ recognized by learned authorities, suggesting that suffering and ominous influences are to be understood through established tradition and named categories—encouraging discernment, consultation of the wise, and appropriate remedial conduct rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya identifies and names two specific grahas: one called Skandāpasmarā, and another in a terrifying form called Vinatā, described as the Śakuni-graha. He reports how eminent Brahmins traditionally refer to these afflicting forces.