Shloka 27

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Consolation to the King: Exempla of Rāma and the Efficacy of Allies (मार्कण्डेयाश्वासनम्)

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उदाच एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवस्तुष्ट: समभवत्‌ तदा | अवमेने हि दुर्बुद्धिर्मनुष्पानू पुरुषादक:,/८४८ २ 4८८ थक ओ *्थ मार्कण्डेयजी कहते हैं--राजन! ब्रह्माजीके ऐसा कहनेपर दसमुख रावण बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ। वह दुर्बुद्धि नरभक्षी राक्षस मनुष्योंकी अवहेलना करता था

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca—evam ukto daśagrīvas tuṣṭaḥ samabhavat tadā | avamene hi durbuddhir manuṣyānū puruṣādakaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya kể: “Tâu Đại vương! Nghe Brahmā phán như vậy, Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa) bấy giờ vô cùng hoan hỷ. Bởi tên rākṣasa ăn thịt người ấy, tâm địa ác độc và trí tuệ mù quáng, vốn khinh miệt loài người.”

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• उक्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: kta (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दशग्रीवः: the ten-necked one (Ravana)
• दशग्रीवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुष्टः: pleased
• तुष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट
• Form: kta (past participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समभवत्: became
• समभवत्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

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

• अवमेने: despised
• अवमेने: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-मान्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दुर्बुद्धिः: the evil-minded one
• दुर्बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुष्यान्: men/humans
• मनुष्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुरुषादकः: man-eater
• पुरुषादकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषादक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

रावण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)
• Manuṣyāḥ (human beings)
• Rākṣasa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral pattern: when arrogance is reinforced, a person of corrupted judgment may lose respect for others—especially the weak—sliding further into adharma. Contempt for human dignity is presented as a sign of inner moral decay.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that after being addressed (in context, by Brahmā), Rāvaṇa becomes pleased; yet his character is revealed as he continues to despise humans, being a wicked-minded, man-eating rākṣasa.