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Shloka 59

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Indra’s Intended Request

Kuṇḍala–Kavaca Discourse

ततः पितरमाविश्य पुप्लवे5हं महार्णवम्‌ । शतयोजनविस्तीर्ण निहत्य जलराक्षसीम्‌,“जब कोई भी समुद्रको लाँधघनेका साहस न कर सका, तब मैं अपने पिता वायुके स्वरूपमें प्रविष्ट होकर वह सौ योजन विस्तृत महासागर लाँध गया। उस समय समुद्रके जलमें एक राक्षसी रहती थी, जिसे अपने मार्गमें विघ्न डालनेपर मैंने मार डाला था

tataḥ pitaram āviśya puplave'haṃ mahārṇavam | śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ nihatya jalarākṣasīm ||

ఆపై నేను నా తండ్రి వాయువు స్వరూపంలో ప్రవేశించి, శత యోజనాల విస్తారమైన ఆ మహాసముద్రాన్ని లంఘించాను; జలంలో నివసించిన ఆ రాక్షసిని సంహరించాను.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
Formindeclinable (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereafter')
पितरम्father
पितरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
आविश्यhaving entered
आविश्य:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-विश्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), 'having entered'
पुप्लवेI leapt over / I crossed
पुप्लवे:
TypeVerb
Rootप्लु
Formperfect (लिट्), 1st person, singular, parasmaipada
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
Form1st person pronoun, nominative, singular
महार्णवम्the great ocean
महार्णवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहार्णव
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
शतयोजनविस्तीर्णम्spread over a hundred yojanas wide
शतयोजनविस्तीर्णम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशत-योजन-विस्तीर्ण
Formmasculine, accusative, singular (agreeing with महार्णवम्); विस्तीर्ण = past passive participle of वि-स्तॄ
निहत्यhaving killed
निहत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-हन्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), 'having slain'
जलराक्षसीम्a water-demoness
जलराक्षसीम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजलराक्षसी
Formfeminine, accusative, singular

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

M
Mārkaṇḍeya
H
his father (identified as Vāyu in the gloss)
M
Mahārṇava (the great ocean)
J
Jalarākṣasī (water demoness)
Y
Yojana (unit of distance)

Educational Q&A

Determination and skillful means are praised: when a righteous objective faces an overwhelming barrier, one may seek higher support (here, identification with Vāyu) and proceed without fear. Ethically, violence is framed as reactive and limited—used to neutralize an active obstruction rather than for conquest.

Mārkaṇḍeya recounts that he assumed his father’s (Vāyu’s) form and leapt across a vast ocean said to be a hundred yojanas wide. During the crossing, a water-dwelling rākṣasī tried to hinder him, and he killed her to clear his path.