Shloka 3

Karṇa-kuṇḍala-kavaca-jijñāsā; Kuntibhoja’s hospitality and Pṛthā’s appointment (कर्णकुण्डलकवचजिज्ञासा)

Devanagari script

ततो$भिपततां तेषामदृश्यानां दुरात्मनाम्‌ । अन्तर्धानवधं तज्ज्ञक्षकार स विभीषण:,वे दुरात्मा निशाचर अन्तर्धानविद्यासे अदृश्य होकर आक्रमण कर रहे थे। विभीषण उस विद्याके जानकार थे, अतः उन्होंने उन राक्षसोंकी अन्तर्धानशक्तिको नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

tato 'bhipatatāṁ teṣām adṛśyānāṁ durātmanām | antardhāna-vadhaṁ tajjñaḥ cakāra sa vibhīṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, khi những kẻ hung ác ấy—đã khiến mình trở nên vô hình—xông tới tấn công, Vibhīṣaṇa, người tinh thông pháp thuật ấy, liền đối trị bằng cách phá tan năng lực ẩn hình của chúng.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अभिपतताम्of those who were rushing/attacking

तेषाम्of them

अदृश्यानाम्of the invisible (ones)

दुरात्मनाम्of the wicked-souled (ones)

अन्तर्धान-वधम्the destruction of (their) disappearance/invisibility

तत्that (act/thing)

ज्ञःknowing, expert

चकारdid, made

सःhe

विभीषणःVibhīṣaṇa

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Vibhīṣaṇa

adṛśya durātmānaḥ (invisible wicked attackers/rākṣasas)

antardhāna-vidyā (art of invisibility)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts deceitful power (invisibility used for ambush) with righteous, disciplined knowledge. When expertise is guided by dharma, it can expose and neutralize hidden wrongdoing rather than serve it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Invisible, wicked attackers rush in to strike. Vibhīṣaṇa, who understands the technique of concealment, counters them by breaking or nullifying their antardhāna (invisibility), making their assault ineffective.