Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 74, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

तत्रान्धकारे सा रौही चकर्ष वसुधाधिपम् ।

पुच्छे लग्नं महाभागं कृशं धमनिसन्ततौ ॥

Transliteration

tatrāndhakāre sā rauhī cakarṣa vasudhādhipam | pucche lagnaṃ mahābhāgaṃ kṛśaṃ dhamanisantatau ||

Translation

সেখানে অন্ধকারে সেই রৌহী, যার লেজে আঁকড়ে ছিল ভূ-পতি, তাকে টেনে নিয়ে চলল—তিনি মহৎ বংশজাত হয়েও কৃশকায়, শিরা-উপশিরা উঁচু হয়ে উঠেছিল।

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• andhakāre: in darkness
• andhakāre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andhakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rauhī: the Rohī fish
• rauhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rauhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• cakarṣa: dragged/pulled
• cakarṣa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vasudhā-adhipam: the lord of the earth (king)
• vasudhā-adhipam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वसुधायाः अधिपः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pucche: on the tail
• pucche: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• lagnam: clinging/attached
• lagnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lag (धातु) + na (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वसुधाधिपम् इति विशेष्यस्य); ‘लग्नम्’ = attached/clinging

• mahā-bhāgam: fortunate/noble
• mahā-bhāgam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् भोग/भागः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (राजानम् विशेषयति)

• kṛśam: emaciated/thin
• kṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (राजानम् विशेषयति)

• dhamani-santatau: in/with the web of veins (veins prominent)
• dhamani-santatau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhamanī (प्रातिपदिक) + santati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धमन्याः सन्ततिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘धमनिसन्ततौ’ = in the network/continuity of veins (i.e., with veins prominent)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (within Mārkaṇḍeya’s account)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Reversal of control (king being dragged)
• Physical depletion
• Darkness and vulnerability

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When one depends on unstable supports, agency reverses: the ‘support’ leads, and the person is led—an ethical warning about dependence and attachment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Non-Pancalakṣaṇa narrative; functions as moral-psychological storytelling.

What is the esoteric significance?

The king (ego/aham) being dragged by the ‘deer’ (mind) indicates the psyche pulling the person rather than the person governing the psyche.