Shloka 9
Sāvitrī–Satyavān Vivāha: Kanyāpradāna and Āśrama-Śīla (सावित्री-सत्यवान्विवाहः)
Devanagari script
मारीचश्चिन्तयामास विशिष्टान्मरणं वरम्
Transliteration
mārīcaś cintayāmāsa viśiṣṭān maraṇaṁ varam
Translation
وتفكّر ماريتش أن الموتَ خيرٌ لأهل الشرف والتميّز—خيرٌ من حياةٍ تُصان بالعار أو تُستبقى بالباطل.
Word by Word
मारीचःMarīca (proper name)
मारीचः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमारीच
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
चिन्तयामासthought/pondered
चिन्तयामास:
TypeVerb
Rootचिन्त्
FormPeriphrastic Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
विशिष्टात्than the distinguished/better (one)
विशिष्टात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootविशिष्ट
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
मरणम्death
मरणम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमरण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वरम्better/preferable
वरम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootवर
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Characters & Entities
M
MārīcaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical ideal: for those who value dharma and honor, an honorable death can be preferable to living through moral compromise, humiliation, or ignoble conduct.
Markaṇḍeya reports Mārīca’s inner deliberation: he weighs his situation and concludes that, for a noble person, choosing death may be the better course than continuing under dishonor.