Shloka 25

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तांश्व तौ चाप्यदृश्य: स शरैरविव्याथ राक्षस:

Transliteration

tān śva tau cāpy adṛśyaḥ sa śarair avivyātha rākṣasaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ആ രാക്ഷസൻ സ്വയം അദൃശ്യനായി നിന്നുകൊണ്ട്, ആ രണ്ടുപേരെയും വീണ്ടും അമ്പുകളാൽ കുത്തിവീഴ്ത്തി.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वस्

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अदृश्यः: invisible
• अदृश्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अविव्याथ: pierced/afflicted (wounded)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यथ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राक्षसः: the demon (Rakshasa)
• राक्षसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• rākṣasa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores an ethical tension central to the epic: violence carried out through concealment and deceit is portrayed as morally suspect when contrasted with straightforward, accountable combat aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Markaṇḍeya describes a rākṣasa who remains unseen and nevertheless wounds the opposing pair by shooting arrows at them, escalating the danger through stealth.