Shloka 12
कर्णेन्द्रविनिमयः
Karna–Indra Exchange of Kavaca-Kuṇḍala for the Vāsavī-Śakti
यस्य शाखामृगा मित्राण्यूक्षा: कालमुखास्तथा | जात्यन्तरगता राजजन्नेतद् बुद्धानुचिन्तय,राजन! दूसरी योनिके प्राणी वानर, लंगूर तथा रीछ ही उनके मित्र अथवा सहायक थे (किंतु तुम्हारे तो चार शूरवीर भाई सहायक हैं)। इस बातपर बुद्धिद्वारा विचार करो
yasya śākhāmṛgā mitrāṇy ṛkṣāḥ kālamukhās tathā | jātyantaragatā rājan etad buddhānu cintaya ||
马尔坎德耶说道：“大王啊，他的朋友与助力，是林中的群猴——并有熊与那些黑面者——皆属异类之生。请以明智深思此事：他尚且有异生之盟友，而你却有自己四位英勇的兄弟作依靠。”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
To reflect wisely on one’s available support and not succumb to despair: even someone aided only by beings of another species could accomplish great ends, so a king with four heroic brothers should take heart and act with steadiness.
Mārkaṇḍeya is counseling a king, pointing to an exemplar who relied on forest-dwelling allies (monkeys/apes, bears, and other dark-faced helpers). He urges the king to consider this comparison and recognize the strength of his own human allies—his four brave brothers.