Shloka 1

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Birth and Boon; Puṣkara’s Glory; Rāma’s Śrāddha; Refuge-Hymn to Śiva

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच । मार्कंडेयेन वै रामः कथमत्र प्रबोधितः । कथं समागमो भूतः कस्मिन्काले कदा मुने

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | mārkaṃḍeyena vai rāmaḥ kathamatra prabodhitaḥ | kathaṃ samāgamo bhūtaḥ kasminkāle kadā mune

Translation

भीष्म म्हणाले—“हे मुने, येथे मार्कंडेयांनी रामाला कसा उपदेश केला? त्यांचा समागम कसा झाला—कोणत्या काळी, आणि कधी?”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhīṣma
• भीष्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मार्कण्डेयेन: by Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• प्रबोधितः: was awakened/was instructed
• प्रबोधितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-बुध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः (PPP used predicatively)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• समागमः: meeting/encounter
• समागमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूतः: happened/occurred
• भूतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अभवत्’ अर्थे (in sense of ‘happened/occurred’)

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; प्रश्नसर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• काले: time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कदा: when?
• कदा: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb of time)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Bhīṣma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: कथम्+अत्र → कथमत्र; कस्मिन्+काले → कस्मिन्काले (न् + क).

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Rāma

FAQs

Who is speaking in this verse, and what is being asked?

Bhīṣma is speaking, asking the sage to explain how Mārkaṇḍeya instructed Rāma and the circumstances (time and manner) of their meeting.

What does “prabodhitaḥ” imply in this context?

It implies that Rāma was spiritually or doctrinally ‘awakened’—i.e., instructed, enlightened, or guided—by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya.

What is the ethical or devotional emphasis suggested by the question?

The verse highlights reverence for guru-like instruction and the importance of understanding sacred encounters in their proper context (how, when, and why they occurred).