Shloka 15
हन्तास्मि त्वां सहामात्यैर्युध्यस्व पुरुषो भव । पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्य मानुषस्य निशाचर,“मैं मन्त्रियोंसहित तुम्हें मार डालूँगा। साहस हो तो युद्ध करो और पौरुषका परिचय दो। निशाचर! यद्यपि मैं मनुष्य हूँ, तो भी मेरे धनुषका बल देखना
hantāsmi tvāṃ sahāmātyair yudhyasva puruṣo bhava | paśya me dhanuṣo vīrya mānuṣasya niśācara ||
Wika ni Mārkaṇḍeya: “Papatayin kita, kasama ang iyong mga ministro. Kung may tapang ka, lumaban ka—maging lalaki at ipakita ang iyong kagitingan. O gumagala sa gabi, bagaman tao ako, masdan mo ang lakas ng aking busog.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds courageous responsibility: one should not be intimidated by the opponent’s nature or power, but stand firm, act with valor, and confront wrongdoing with disciplined strength.
Mārkaṇḍeya issues a direct martial challenge to a niśācara (rākṣasa), declaring he will kill him along with his ministers and urging him to fight, while asserting that even as a human he possesses formidable bow-power.