Shloka 25

Karṇa’s Counsel on Śrī

Fortune) and the Proposed Display before the Exiled Pāṇḍavas (कर्णवचनम् / श्रीप्रदर्शन-प्रस्तावः

Devanagari script

महाकायमुपश्लिष्टं कुक्कु्टं बलिनां वरम्‌ गृहीत्वा व्यनदद्‌ भीम॑ चिक्रीड च महाभुज:

Transliteration

mahākāyam upaśliṣṭaṃ kukkuṭaṃ balināṃ varam | gṛhītvā vyanadad bhīmaṃ cikrīḍa ca mahābhujaḥ ||

Translation

ਵੱਡੇ ਡੌਲ ਵਾਲੇ, ਨੇੜੇ ਹੀ ਮੌਜੂਦ, ਬਲਵਾਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ ਉਸ ਕੁੱਕੜ ਨੂੰ ਫੜ ਕੇ ਮਹਾਬਾਹੂ ਨੇ ਭਿਆਨਕ ਗਰਜ ਕੀਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਖੇਡਣ ਲੱਗ ਪਿਆ।

Word by Word

• महाकायम्: huge-bodied
• महाकायम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपश्लिष्टम्: clasped/held close
• उपश्लिष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-श्लिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुक्कुटम्: rooster
• कुक्कुटम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्कुट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बलिनाम्: of the strong
• बलिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरम्: best/excellent
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized/taken
• गृहीत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• व्यनदत्: roared
• व्यनदत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिक्रीड: played/sported
• चिक्रीड: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

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

• महाभुजः: mighty-armed
• महाभुजः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभुज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Skanda (Kumāra) (contextual from passage)
• Kukkuṭa (rooster/cock)
• Śakti (spear) (contextual from passage)
• Citra (elephant) (contextual from passage)
• Airāvata (elephant) (contextual from passage)
• Three worlds (trailokya) (contextual from passage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights awe-inspiring strength presented as controlled play (līlā): immense power can manifest without being driven by hatred, reminding the listener that true might is aligned with cosmic order rather than mere violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a great-armed figure (in the surrounding passage, Kumāra/Skanda) seizing a massive rooster and roaring terribly, then sporting with it—part of a larger depiction of divine, world-stunning energy that draws other mighty beings into the scene.