Shloka 12

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Consolation to the King: Exempla of Rāma and the Efficacy of Allies (मार्कण्डेयाश्वासनम्)

Devanagari script

खरो धनुषि विक्रान्तो ब्रह्मद्विट॒ पिशिताशन: । सिद्धविघ्नकरी चापि रौद्री शूर्पणखा तथा,खर थधर्नुर्विद्यामें विशेष पराक्रमी था। वह ब्राह्मणोंसे द्वेष रखनेवाला तथा मांसाहारी था। शूर्पणखाकी आकृति बड़ी भयानक थी। वह सिद्ध ऋषि-मुनियोंकी तपस्यामें विध्न डाला करती थी

Transliteration

kharo dhanuṣi vikrānto brahmadviṭ piśitāśanaḥ | siddhavigṇakarī cāpi raudrī śūrpaṇakhā tathā ||

Translation

ഖരൻ ധനുർവിദ്യയിൽ അത്യന്തം വിക്രാന്തൻ; ബ്രാഹ്മണദ്വേഷിയും മാംസാഹാരിയും ആയിരുന്നു. ശൂർപ്പണഖയും രൗദ്രസ്വഭാവമുള്ള ഭയാനകരൂപിണി; സിദ്ധമുനികളുടെ തപസ്സിൽ വിഘ്നം സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നവളായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

खरःKhara (proper name)

धनुषिin/with the bow (in archery)

विक्रान्तःvaliant, powerful

ब्रह्मद्विट्hater of Brahmins

पिशिताशनःflesh-eating

सिद्धविघ्नकरीone who causes obstacles to siddhas

चand

अपिalso

रौद्रीterrible, fierce

शूर्पणखाŚūrpaṇakhā (proper name)

तथाlikewise, so too

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Khara

Śūrpaṇakhā

Brāhmaṇas

Siddhas (accomplished sages/ascetics)

Bow (dhanus)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts dharmic life—protecting brāhmaṇas and supporting tapas—with rākṣasa-like conduct marked by hostility to the sacred order and by disrupting ascetic practice. It implies that undermining spiritual discipline and harming the righteous is a clear sign of adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the character and conduct of Khara and Śūrpaṇakhā: Khara is portrayed as a formidable archer but morally corrupt (anti-brāhmaṇa, flesh-eating), while Śūrpaṇakhā is depicted as terrifying and as one who interferes with the austerities of accomplished sages.