Shloka 21

Adhyāya 290: Kuntī’s Mantra-Parīkṣā and the Appearance of Sūrya (कुन्ती–सूर्यसंवादः)

Devanagari script

स राममुद्दिश्य शरैस्ततो दत्तवरैस्तदा

Transliteration

sa rāmam uddiśya śarais tato dattavarais tadā

Translation

于是他锁定罗摩，放出箭矢——那时箭矢因其所受恩赐而具威力——昭示冲突骤然升级，既带神授之势，亦含沉重的道义之问。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रामम्: Rama (as the object/target)
• रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्दिश्य: having aimed at / addressing / intending
• उद्दिश्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), indeclinable (gerund)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ततः: then / thereafter / from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• दत्तवरैः: with boons that had been granted (i.e., by granted boons)
• दत्तवरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्तवर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तदा: at that time / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power gained through boons or special endowments intensifies responsibility: when conflict is pursued with extraordinary means, the ethical weight of intention (uddiśya) and restraint in battle becomes even more significant within a dharmic framework.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a moment in which a combatant turns his attention specifically to Rāma and shoots arrows, relying on previously granted boons—indicating a decisive, empowered attack directed at a central figure.