Shloka 256

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

स भृशं ताडयामास रावणिर्मायया5<वृत: । रावणकुमार अपनी मायासे आवृत होनेके कारण स्वयं किसीकी दृष्टिमें नहीं आता था; परंतु वह उन दोनों भाइयोंको तथा सम्पूर्ण वानरोंको भी निरन्तर अपने बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर रहा था

Transliteration

sa bhṛśaṃ tāḍayāmāsa rāvaṇir māyayāvṛtaḥ |

Translation

మార్కండేయుడు పలికెను—మాయావృతుడైన రావణిపుత్రుడు వారిపై ఘోరముగా ప్రహారములు చేసెను. మాయాబలముచే కప్పబడి అతడు ఎవరి దృష్టికీ పడలేదు; అయినను ఆ ఇద్దరు భ్రాతలను మరియు సమస్త వానరసేనను కూడా నిరంతరం తన బాణములతో గాయపరచుచుండెను.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भृशम्: excessively, fiercely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृश

• ताडयामास: struck, smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड्
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रावणिः: Rāvaṇi (son of Rāvaṇa)
• रावणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मायया: by illusion, by magic
• मायया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• आवृतः: covered, concealed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√वृ (वृञ्) / आवृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past Passive Participle (क्त)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Rāvaṇi (son of Rāvaṇa, i.e., Indrajit/Meghanāda)
• Rāvaṇa
• the two brothers (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, implied by context)
• Vānaras (monkey-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how māyā (deceptive concealment) can intensify harm in conflict, implying an ethical contrast between straightforward valor and covert aggression; it also underscores the need for steadiness and discernment when facing unseen or unfair threats.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāvaṇa’s son, hidden by magical illusion, becomes invisible to others and repeatedly attacks—wounding the two principal brothers and the vānaras with continuous volleys of arrows.