Shloka 58

Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Indra’s Intended Request

Kuṇḍala–Kavaca Discourse

Devanagari script

नाध्यवास्यद्‌ यदा कश्चित्‌ सागरस्य विलड्घनम्‌,“जब कोई भी समुद्रको लाँधघनेका साहस न कर सका, तब मैं अपने पिता वायुके स्वरूपमें प्रविष्ट होकर वह सौ योजन विस्तृत महासागर लाँध गया। उस समय समुद्रके जलमें एक राक्षसी रहती थी, जिसे अपने मार्गमें विघ्न डालनेपर मैंने मार डाला था

Transliteration

nādhya-vāsyad yadā kaścit sāgarasya vilaṅghanam |

Translation

马尔坎德耶说道：“当无人敢尝试横渡大海时，我入于我父伐由（Vāyu，风神）之形，跃过那广阔大海，其宽一百由旬。其时海水之中住着一位罗刹女；她阻我去路，我便将她诛杀。”

Word by Word

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na

• adhyavāsyat: dared/undertook (to do)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√vas
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada

• yadā: when
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā

• kaścit: anyone/someone
• kaścit: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: kaścit
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• sāgarasya: of the ocean
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• vilaṅghanam: crossing/leaping over
• vilaṅghanam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: vilaṅghana
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vāyu
• Sāgara (the ocean/sea)
• Rākṣasī (a demoness in the ocean)
• Śata-yojana (hundred-yojana expanse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights resolute courage guided by rightful purpose: when a daunting task is avoided by all, steadfast effort—supported by divine strength and clarity of aim—can overcome vast obstacles; obstruction rooted in harm is to be removed to protect the righteous course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya recounts a supernatural feat: when no one dared to cross the ocean, he assumed the power/form of his father Vāyu and crossed the hundred-yojana sea; an ocean-dwelling rākṣasī tried to hinder him, and he killed her for obstructing his passage.