Shloka 52
Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Indra’s Intended Request
Kuṇḍala–Kavaca Discourse
Devanagari script
स सम्पातिस्तदा राजन श्रुत्वा सुमहदप्रियम्
Transliteration
sa sampātis tadā rājan śrutvā sumahad apriyam
Translation
王よ、そのときサンパーティは、きわめて痛ましく耳にしたくない知らせを聞くや、深い悲嘆に打たれた——苛烈な報せが、運命の推移の中で人の不動心と慈悲を試すことを示すのである。
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सम्पातिःSampāti (proper name)
सम्पातिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसम्पाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for ktvā)
सुमहत्very great
सुमहत्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसुमहत्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अप्रियम्unpleasant (thing/news)
अप्रियम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअप्रिय
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SampātiR
Rājan (the king being addressed)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and emotional weight of hearing grievous news: adversity often arrives first as painful information, and one’s dharmic response is measured by steadiness, empathy, and restraint rather than impulsive reaction.
Mārkaṇḍeya addresses the king and reports that Sampāti, at that moment, heard something extremely unpleasant and distressing, setting up Sampāti’s ensuing reaction and the next turn in the story.