Shloka 4

कुन्तीगर्भगोपनम् तथा मञ्जूषाप्रवाहः

Kuntī’s concealed childbirth and the river-borne casket

Devanagari script

ते दशग्रीवसैन्यं तदृक्षवानरपुड्भवा: । द्रुमैर्विध्वंसयांचक्रुर्दशग्रीवस्यथ पश्यत:,उन रीक और वानर-सेनापतियोंने दशाननके देखते-देखते वृक्षोंकी मारसे उसकी सेनाका संहार आरम्भ कर दिया

Transliteration

te daśagrīvasainyaṃ tad ṛkṣavānarapuṅgavāḥ | drumair vidhvaṃsayāṃ cakrur daśagrīvasya atha paśyataḥ ||

Translation

マールカンデーヤは語った。「そのとき、熊と猿のうち最もすぐれた者たちは、根こそぎ引き抜いた樹木をもってダシャグリーヴァの軍勢を打ち砕き、潰走させ始めた。しかもそれは、ダシャグリーヴァが見守るまさにその眼前で行われたのである。」

Word by Word

तेthey/those

दशग्रीवसैन्यम्the army of Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)

तत्that (army)

ऋक्षवानरपुङ्गवाःthe leaders/chiefs among bears and monkeys

द्रुमैःwith trees

विध्वंसयाम्they caused to be destroyed / they destroyed

चक्रुःthey did / they made (began to do)

दशग्रीवस्यof Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)

अथthen/now

पश्यतःwhile (he) was looking; of the one seeing

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)

Daśagrīva’s army

Ṛ

Ṛkṣas (bears)

Vānaras (monkeys)

Trees (drumas)

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?

Unchecked pride and oppressive force are not invincible; when righteous allies act with unity and resolve, even a seemingly overwhelming power can be broken. The verse highlights the moral weight of collective courage against adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes bear- and monkey-leaders attacking Daśagrīva’s forces, using trees as weapons, and beginning the destruction of his army right before his eyes.