Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

खर: शूर्पणखा चैव तेषां वै तप्यतां तप: । परिचर्या च रक्षां च चक्रतुर्हष्टमानसौ

Transliteration

kharaḥ śūrpaṇakhā caiva teṣāṃ vai tapyatāṃ tapaḥ | paricaryā ca rakṣāṃ ca cakratur hṛṣṭamānasau ||

Translation

മാർക്കണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഖരനും ശൂർപ്പണഖയും ഹർഷിതഹൃദയരായി തപസ്സിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നവർക്കു ശുശ്രൂഷയും രക്ഷയും ചെയ്തു; അവരുടെ വ്രത-തപസ്സിന് പിന്തുണയായി കാവൽ നിന്നു.

Word by Word

• खरः: Khara
• खरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शूर्पणखा: Śūrpaṇakhā
• शूर्पणखा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर्पणखा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तेषाम्: of them / for them
• तेषाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• तप्यताम्: let (them) perform austerity / let (them) be engaged in penance
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Ātmanepada, Imperative

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परिचर्याम्: attendance, service
• परिचर्याम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिचर्या
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रक्षाम्: protection, guarding
• रक्षाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चक्रतुः: they two did/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect, Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• हृष्टमानसौ: with delighted minds
• हृष्टमानसौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्टमानस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• tapas (austerity)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic ideal: austerity (tapas) is strengthened when supported by paricaryā (attentive service) and rakṣā (protection). Ethical life includes not only personal discipline but also safeguarding and assisting those pursuing spiritual vows.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Khara and Śūrpaṇakhā, feeling pleased, took on the roles of attendants and guardians for certain ascetics or vow-keepers, ensuring their penance could proceed without obstruction.