Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

प्राप्तकालं च ते सर्वे मेनिरे मन्त्रिसत्तमा:

Transliteration

prāptakālaṃ ca te sarve menire mantrisattamāḥ |

Translation

马尔坎德耶说道：“诸位上等大臣都认为国王的提议适时而当，便一致赞同。其后，罗摩被描绘为理想的王子——形貌光辉，臂力雄健，克己自持，通达法义，连仇敌也难以抗拒其风采。其战场勇武不亚于因陀罗，然而他仍护持善人、抑制恶徒。达沙罗陀屡屡望见这位增益憍萨利耶欢喜的儿子，心中便一次又一次充满欣悦。”

Word by Word

• प्राप्तकालम्: timely (proposal/time-appropriate matter)
• प्राप्तकालम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्तकाल (प्राप्त + काल)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मेनिरे: thought/considered/approved
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• मन्त्रिसत्तमाः: the best of ministers
• मन्त्रिसत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिसत्तम (मन्त्रिन् + सत्तम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• ministers (mantrisattamāḥ)
• Rāma (Śrī Rāmacandra)
• Indra
• Bṛhaspati
• Daśaratha
• Kauśalyā
• Kuru-nandana (address to a Kuru prince, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage upholds the model of righteous leadership: wise counsel recognizes what is timely, and the ideal ruler combines strength with restraint, learning with humility, and power with protection of the virtuous—dharma expressed through character and governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that the king’s ministers approve a timely proposal, and then he elaborates Rāma’s exemplary qualities—physical majesty, martial prowess, wisdom, and ethical discipline—showing why Daśaratha rejoices in his son who brings joy to Kauśalyā and wins the affection of the people.