Shloka 5

सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala

Devanagari script

गन्धमादनवासी तु प्रथितो गन्धमादन: । कोटीशतसहस््राणि हरीणां समकर्षत,गन्धमादन पर्वतपर रहनेवाला गन्धमादन नामसे विख्यात वानर वानरोंकी दस खरब सेना साथ लेकर आया

Transliteration

Gandhamādanavāsī tu prathito Gandhamādanaḥ | koṭīśatasahasrāṇi harīṇāṃ samākarṣat |

Translation

Wika ni Mārkaṇḍeya: “May isang bantog na unggoy na nagngangalang Gandhamādana, naninirahan sa Bundok Gandhamādana. Tinipon niya at dinala ang di-mabilang na hukbo ng mga unggoy—umaabot sa daan-daang koṭi at libu-libo—kaya’t lalo pang lumaki ang lakas ng hukbong vanara.”

Word by Word

गन्धमादनवासीthe dweller of Gandhamādana (mountain)

तुbut/indeed

प्रथितःrenowned, famous

गन्धमादनःGandhamādana (name of a monkey/vanara)

कोटीशतसहस्राणिcrores, hundreds, and thousands (in vast numbers)

हरीणाम्of the monkeys/vanaras

समकर्षत्he drew together / brought along

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Gandhamādana (vanara)

Gandhamādana Parvata (mountain)

Vānara/Harī (monkey hosts)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of collective effort and capable leadership: a renowned leader can unite vast numbers toward a shared purpose, suggesting that strength arises from organized unity rather than mere individual prowess.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a famous vanara named Gandhamādana, resident of Mount Gandhamādana, who musters an enormous multitude of monkeys—an image of a rapidly expanding allied force.