Shloka 12

Sāvitrī-Upākhyāna: Dyumatsena’s Restoration and the Return to Kāmyaka

Conclusion

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो लक्ष्मणो भ्रात्रा गुरुवाक्यहिते रत: । प्रतस्थे रुचिरं गृह्मु समार्गणगुणं धनु:

Transliteration

ity ukto lakṣmaṇo bhrātrā guruvākyahite rataḥ | pratasthē ruciraṁ gṛhmu samārgaṇaguṇaṁ dhanuḥ ||

Translation

அண்ணன் இவ்வாறு கூறியதும், பெரியோரின் அறிவுரைக்கு ஏற்ப நன்மையில் நிலைத்த இலக்குமணன் போருக்குத் தேவையான குணங்களுடன் கூடிய அந்த அழகிய வில்லை எடுத்துக்கொண்டு உடனே புறப்பட்டான்।

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

लक्ष्मणःLakshmana

भ्रात्राby (his) brother

गुरु-वाक्य-हितेin what is beneficial as the teacher’s word (i.e., in the welfare/interest of the guru’s command)

रतःengaged, devoted

प्रतस्थेset out, departed

रुचिरम्beautiful, splendid

गृह्यhaving taken

समार्गण-गुणम्having the quality/virtue of battle (fit for combat)

धनुःbow

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya (speaker)

Lakṣmaṇa

Brother (bhrātṛ)

Bow (dhanuḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse commends acting under proper guidance: Lakṣmaṇa is portrayed as devoted to what is beneficial and aligned with the counsel of elders (guru-vākya), suggesting that disciplined obedience and welfare-oriented intent should govern decisive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being instructed by his brother, Lakṣmaṇa promptly departs, taking up a fine bow suited for combat—signaling immediate readiness to carry out a duty under rightful direction.