Shloka 9

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

लोहिताक्षं महाबाहुं मत्तमातड्रगामिनम्‌ । कम्बुग्रीवं महोरस्क॑ नीलकुज्चितमूर्थजम्‌

Transliteration

lohītākṣaṃ mahābāhuṃ mattamātaṅgagāminam | kambugrīvaṃ mahoraskaṃ nīlakuñcitamūrdhajam ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya nói: “Mắt người ánh đỏ, tay dài lực lưỡng; dáng đi kiêu hùng, lắc lư như voi say. Cổ người đẹp như vỏ ốc tù và, ngực nở rộng, và mái tóc đen xoăn phủ trên đầu.”

Word by Word

• लोहिताक्षम्: red-eyed (having reddish eyes)
• लोहिताक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोहिताक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाबाहुम्: mighty-armed
• महाबाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मत्तमातङ्गगामिनम्: moving like an intoxicated elephant
• मत्तमातङ्गगामिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्तमातङ्गगामिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कम्बुग्रीवम्: conch-necked (with a neck like a conch)
• कम्बुग्रीवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कम्बुग्रीव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महोरस्कम्: broad-chested
• महोरस्कम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोरस्क
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजम्: having dark, curly hair
• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• मार्कण्डेय (Mārkaṇḍeya)
• श्रीराम (Rāma) (implied by the descriptive context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses auspicious physical markers to signal moral and royal fitness: true authority is portrayed as a harmony of strength, dignity, and self-mastery—qualities expected of one who protects dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the hero’s appearance in elevated, poetic terms—emphasizing majesty (elephant-like gait), beauty (conch-like neck), and power (mighty arms, broad chest) as part of a larger account praising Rāma’s exemplary nature.