Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तमदृश्यं शरै: शूरौ माययान्तर्हितं तदा

Transliteration

tam adṛśyaṃ śaraiḥ śūrau māyayāntarhitaṃ tadā

Translation

Pagkaraan, sa kapangyarihan ng māyā (ilusyon), ang dalawang magiting na mandirigma ay naging di-nakikita, natabingan sa paningin kahit patuloy ang paglipad ng mga palaso—ipinapakita na sa digmaan, ang tapang lamang ay maaaring malito at mapigil kapag pumasok ang panlilinlang at mga paraang higit-sa-karaniwan.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अदृश्यम्: invisible
• अदृश्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृश्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शूरौ: the two heroes
• शूरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

• अन्तर्हितम्: hidden, made to disappear
• अन्तर्हितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तर्हित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• मार्कण्डेय (Mārkaṇḍeya)
• माया (māyā)
• शर (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how external prowess in conflict can be undermined by māyā—deception or extraordinary power—urging discernment and ethical vigilance: not everything in struggle is decided by strength alone, and one must be wary of tactics that obscure truth and fair conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a battle moment in which two heroic fighters are rendered unseen: amid the exchange of arrows, they are concealed by māyā, becoming invisible and thus altering the course and clarity of the encounter.