Shloka 36
सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः
Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala
मार्गमिच्छामि सैन्यस्य दत्तं नदनदीपते । येन गत्वा दशग्रीवं हन्यां पौलस्त्यपांसनम्
mārgam icchāmi sainyasya dattaṃ nadanadīpate | yena gatvā daśagrīvaṃ hanyāṃ paulastyapāṃsanam ||
“اے ندیوں اور نہروں کے مالک! میں اپنی فوج کے لیے وہ راستہ چاہتا ہوں جو تم نے عطا کیا ہے، تاکہ اسی سے جا کر پُلستیہ خاندان کے داغ، دَشگریو (راون) کو قتل کر سکوں۔”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames warfare as purposeful and morally directed: force is sought not for conquest but to remove a destructive wrongdoer (Rāvaṇa), and success is pursued through rightful means—securing a legitimate passage and invoking higher/guardian powers rather than relying on mere aggression.
Mārkaṇḍeya addresses the ‘lord of rivers’ and asks for the promised route for his army. The requested passage is instrumental for reaching Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa) and killing him, described as the ruinous scourge of Pulastya’s line.