Shloka 53

सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala

Devanagari script

प्रतिपन्नौ यदा रूप॑ राक्षसं तौ निशाचरौ । दर्शयित्वा तत: सैन्यं राम: पश्चादवासृजत्‌

Transliteration

pratipannau yadā rūpaṃ rākṣasaṃ tau niśācarau | darśayitvā tataḥ sainyaṃ rāmaḥ paścād avāsṛjat ||

Translation

マールカンデーヤは語った。「夜をさまようその二者が羅刹の姿を現したとき、ラーマはまず軍勢を彼らに見せ、その後に放ったのである。」

Word by Word

• प्रतिपन्नौ: having assumed / having taken (a form)
• प्रतिपन्नौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिपन्न (√पद् + प्रति, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• यदा: when
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राक्षसम्: demonic
• राक्षसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• निशाचरौ: night-roamers (demons)
• निशाचरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• दर्शयित्वा: having shown
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (णिच्) → दर्शय्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (causative stem)

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• सैन्यम्: the army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात्

• अवासृजत्: released / let loose / sent forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (ava-)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Rāma
• two niśācaras (rākṣasas)
• sainya (army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined leadership and measured use of force: Rāma assesses and reveals strength first, then acts—suggesting that power should be deployed deliberately, not impulsively, especially against deceptive or hostile beings.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two night-roaming beings take on a rākṣasa form. Rāma shows them his army—making his preparedness and authority clear—and only after that releases the army to proceed with action.