Shloka 313
पञ्चमहाभूतगुण-इन्द्रियनिग्रह-उपदेशः | Teaching on the Qualities of the Five Elements and Sense-Control
तपस्यति तपो घोरं शृणु यस्तं हनिष्यति । विप्रवर! धुन्धु नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक महान् असुर है, जो तीनों लोकोंका संहार करनेके लिये घोर तपस्या कर रहा है। जो वीर उस महान् असुरका वध करेगा, उसका परिचय देता हूँ, सुनो
tapas yati tapo ghoraṁ śṛṇu yas taṁ haniṣyati | vipravara! dhundhu nāmase prasiddha eka mahān asuraḥ hai, yo trayo lokānāṁ saṁhāraṁ kartum ghora-tapasā carati | yo vīraḥ tasya mahataḥ asurasya vadhaṁ kariṣyati, tasya paricayaṁ dadāmi, śṛṇu |
Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Dia sedang menjalani tapa yang menggerunkan—dengarlah siapa yang akan membunuhnya. Wahai yang terbaik antara para brāhmaṇa, ada seorang asura perkasa, masyhur dengan nama Dhundhu, yang sedang melakukan pertapaan yang amat keras dengan tujuan memusnahkan tiga alam. Dengarlah sekarang: akan kujelaskan siapakah wira yang akan membawa kematian kepada raksasa agung itu.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Severe power gained through austerity is ethically neutral; when directed toward harm (the destruction of the three worlds), it must be checked by righteous heroism. The passage frames protection of cosmic order as a dharmic obligation, and introduces the idea that true valor serves the welfare of all beings.
Mārkaṇḍeya informs a brāhmaṇa listener that the asura Dhundhu is performing terrifying austerities with the intent to destroy the three worlds. He then signals a forthcoming revelation: he will identify the hero destined to slay Dhundhu, setting up the next part of the story.