Shloka 29
Pṛthā’s Atithi-Sevā and the Gift of the Deva-Āhvāna Mantra (पृथायाः अतिथिसेवा तथा देवाह्वानमन्त्रप्रदानम्)
शतशो नैर््रतान् वन्या जष्नुर्वन्यांश्व नैर््रता: । नैऋतास्तत्र वध्यन्ते प्रायेण न तु वानरा:,वनवासी वानरोंने सैकड़ों राक्षसोंको तथा राक्षसोंने वानरोंको घायल किया। उस युद्धमें अधिकांश राक्षस ही मारे जा रहे थे, वानर नहीं
śataśo nairṛtān vanyā jaṣṇur vanyāṁś ca nairṛtāḥ | nairṛtās tatra vadhyante prāyeṇa na tu vānarāḥ ||
Disse Mārkaṇḍeya: “Naquela batalha na floresta, os macacos que habitavam o ermo abateram centenas de Naiṛtas (rākṣasas), e os Naiṛtas, por sua vez, feriram muitos dos moradores da mata. Ainda assim, naquele choque, eram sobretudo os rākṣasas que iam sendo mortos, enquanto os macacos mal eram abatidos.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an asymmetry in outcomes: despite mutual injury, the rākṣasas fall in greater numbers. In epic ethics, such narrative emphasis often signals that unrighteous aggression or adharma tends toward self-destruction, while those aligned with a stronger cause or protection endure.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes a fierce forest encounter between vānaras and Naiṛta rākṣasas. Both sides inflict harm, but the rākṣasas are predominantly being slain, whereas the vānaras largely survive.