Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

जातामर्षस्ततस्ते तु तपसे धृतनिश्चया: । ब्रह्माणं तोषयामासुर्घोरेण तपसा तदा,उनका वैभव देखकर इन बालकोंके हृदयमें डाह पैदा हो गयी। अतः उन्होंने मन-ही- मन तपस्या करनेका निश्चय किया और घोर तपस्याके द्वारा उन्होंने ब्रह्माजीको संतुष्ट कर लिया

Transliteration

jātāmarṣas tataḥ te tu tapase dhṛtaniścayāḥ | brahmāṇaṃ toṣayāmāsur ghoreṇa tapasā tadā ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവരുടെ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ അമർഷം (അസൂയ) ഉണർന്നു; തപസ്സിന് ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം കൈക്കൊണ്ട്, ആ സമയത്ത് ഘോരതപസ്സിലൂടെ അവർ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ സന്തുഷ്ടനാക്കി.

Word by Word

जातामर्षःone whose anger/envy has arisen

ततःthen/thereupon

तेthey

तुbut/indeed

तपसेfor austerity

धृतनिश्चयाःhaving firm resolve (resolved)

ब्रह्माणम्Brahmā

तोषयामासुःthey pleased/satisfied

घोरेणby severe (means)

तपसाby austerity

तदाat that time

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Brahmā

te (those boys/children)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse cautions that powerful spiritual practices (tapas) can be driven by impure motives like envy (amarṣa). While determination and austerity can yield results—even divine favor—the ethical lesson is to align effort with dharmic intention, not rivalry or jealousy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that certain boys, feeling resentment after seeing another’s splendor, resolved to perform severe austerities. Through intense tapas they succeeded in pleasing Brahmā.