Shloka 24

Dharma-vyādha on Parental Worship

Pitṛ-mātṛ-śuśrūṣā as Paramadaivata

Devanagari script

तौ प्रहस्य हृषीकेशं महादर्पों महाबलौ । प्रत्यब्रूतां महाराज सहितौ मधुसूदनम्‌,महाराज! वे दोनों महाबली दानव बड़े अभिमानी थे। उन्होंने हँसकर इन्द्रियोंके स्वामी भगवान्‌ मधुसूदनसे एक साथ कहा--

Transliteration

tau prahasya hṛṣīkeśaṃ mahādarpau mahābalau | pratyabrūtāṃ mahārāja sahitau madhusūdanam ||

Translation

Disse Mārkaṇḍeya: Ó rei, aqueles dois demônios poderosíssimos, inchados de grande soberba, riram e, juntos, responderam a Hṛṣīkeśa—Madhusūdana, o Senhor dos sentidos.

Word by Word

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

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हृषीकेशम्: Hṛṣīkeśa (Krishna)
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महादर्पौ: of great arrogance
• महादर्पौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महादर्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• महाबलौ: very mighty
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• प्रत्यब्रूताम्: they replied / said in return
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√ब्रू
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Dual, Parasmaipada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सहितौ: together
• सहितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusūdana (Krishna)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Mahārāja (the king being addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in context)
• Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Viṣṇu)
• two dānavas (demons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of darpa (arrogant pride): strength without humility leads to disrespect of dharma and even contempt for the divine, which traditionally foreshadows moral and practical ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that two powerful, prideful demons laugh and jointly answer Hṛṣīkeśa/Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa). It is a setup moment before their words/actions bring consequences.