Shloka 8
यक्षोपाख्यान-प्रवेशः
Entry into the Yakṣa-Lake Episode
विनष्टचक्षुषस्तस्य बालपुत्रस्य धीमत: । सामीप्येन ह्तं राज्यं छिद्रेडस्मिन् पूर्ववैरिणा,उनकी आँखें चली गयीं और पुत्र अभी बाल्यावस्थामें था, यह अवसर पाकर उनके पूर्वशत्रु एक पड़ोसी राजाने आक्रमण किया और उस बुद्धिमान् नरेशका राज्य हर लिया
vinaṣṭacakṣuṣas tasya bālaputrasya dhīmataḥ | sāmīpyena hṛtaṃ rājyaṃ chidre 'smin pūrvavairiṇā ||
Markandeya disse: “Quando aquele rei sábio perdeu a visão e seu filho ainda era uma criança, um antigo inimigo —um soberano vizinho— aproveitou a ocasião. Explorando essa fraqueza, atacou e tomou o reino do rei.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a political-ethical lesson: when leadership is weakened and succession is immature, adversaries exploit the ‘chidra’ (vulnerable point). It implicitly urges vigilance, protection of the realm, and prudent arrangements for continuity of rule.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that a wise king becomes blind while his son is still a child; a neighboring former enemy takes advantage of this weakness, attacks, and usurps the kingdom.