Shloka 21
मातापितृपूजन-प्रधानधर्मः (Primacy of Filial Service) — Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of the Vyādha’s Instruction
Devanagari script
आसीदू घोर वपुस्तस्य बालुकान्तर्हितं महत्
Transliteration
āsīd u ghora-vapus tasya bālukāntarhitaṁ mahat
Translation
ಮಾರ್ಕಂಡೇಯನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಮರಳಿನೊಳಗೆ ಅಂತರ್ನಿಹಿತವಾಗಿದ್ದ ಅವನ ಮಹತ್ತರವಾದ, ಘೋರವಾದ ರೂಪವು ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಯಿತು।
Word by Word
आसीत्was
आसीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect), 3, Singular
उindeed/and (emphatic particle)
उ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउ (निपात)
घोरम्terrible
घोरम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वपुःform/body/appearance
वपुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तस्यof him/of that
तस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
बालुका-अन्तर्हितम्hidden/covered within sand
बालुका-अन्तर्हितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्तर्हित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धा with antar- + kta)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
महत्great/huge
महत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
M
Mārkaṇḍeya (speaker)A
a fearsome great form (ghora-vapus)S
sand (bālukā)Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how immense and formidable realities can remain concealed by ordinary appearances; it invites attentiveness and humility before what is hidden beneath the surface.
Markandeya describes the sudden presence of a huge, terrifying form that is covered or concealed within sand, setting a mood of awe and foreboding for the surrounding episode.