Shloka 4
Karṇa–Sūrya Saṃvāda: Satya, Dāna, and the Amoghā Śakti (कर्ण–सूर्यसंवादः)
कपाटलयन्त्रदुर्धर्षा बभूवु: सहुडोपला: । साशीविषघटायोधा: ससर्जरसपांसव:,“मजबूत किवाड़ लगे थे और गोला बरसानेवाले यन्त्र (मशीनें) यथास्थान लगे थे। इनके सिवा वहाँ बहुत-से शृंग और गोले जमा किये गये थे। इन सब कारणोंसे इन खाइयोंको पार करना बहुत कठिन था। विषधर सर्पोंके समूह, सैनिक, सर्जरस (लाह) और धूल--इन सबसे संयुक्त और सुरक्षित होनेके कारण भी वे खाइयाँ दुर्गम थीं
kapāṭa-yantra-durdharṣā babhūvuḥ sahuḍopalāḥ | sa-āśīviṣa-ghaṭā-yodhāḥ sa-sarjara-pāṃsavaḥ ||
Mārkaṇḍeya disse: “Tinham-se tornado inexpugnáveis, com portões robustos e engenhos de guerra difíceis de assaltar, postos em seus lugares, além de montes de pedras e projéteis. Eram ainda resguardadas por bandos de serpentes venenosas, destacamentos de guerreiros e por reservas de sarjara (laca/resina) e poeira—de modo que atravessar aquelas trincheiras era extremamente difícil.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how layered defenses—mechanical, material, and living—can make an obstacle nearly insurmountable, underscoring the ethical reality that violence and fear often escalate through strategic ingenuity rather than righteousness.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes formidable defensive arrangements: strong gates, engines, piles of stones/missiles, and additional protections such as venomous serpents, stationed warriors, and materials like lac/resin and dust, making the trenches/moats extremely hard to cross.