Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 12

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

अयोमुखैः खगैश्चैते कृष्यन्ते किंविधा वद ।

विश्र्लिष्टदेहबन्धार्ति-महारावविराविणः ॥

Transliteration

ayomukhaiḥ khagaiś caite kṛṣyante kiṃvidhā vada / viśrliṣṭa-deha-bandhārti-mahārāva-virāviṇaḥ //

Translation

“Tell me what sort of sinners these are, who are dragged by birds with iron beaks—crying out with great roars, in agony as the bonds of their bodies are torn apart.”

Word by Word

• ayo-mukhaiḥ: by iron-faced (birds)
• ayo-mukhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayas (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (अयसमिव मुखं येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• khagaiḥ: by birds
• khagaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• kṛṣyante: are dragged / are pulled
• kṛṣyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• kiṃ-vidhāḥ: of what kind
• kiṃ-vidhāḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (किंविधाः = कीदृशाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• vada: tell
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• viśrliṣṭa-deha-bandha-ārti-mahā-rāva-virāviṇaḥ: whose body-joints are dislocated, suffering pain, crying loudly
• viśrliṣṭa-deha-bandha-ārti-mahā-rāva-virāviṇaḥ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśrliṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + bandha (प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + rāva (प्रातिपदिक) + virāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (येषां देहबन्धः विश्र्लिष्टः, आर्तिः, महा-रावः च; ते), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; एते विशेषयति

Speakers

• King to Yama’s messenger

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Karma
• Consequences of violence
• Naraka punishments

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Actions that ‘pull apart’ social or bodily integrity—harm, coercion, predation—are mirrored by punishments of tearing and dragging, emphasizing moral symmetry.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma teaching through naraka-description; serves the Purāṇa’s role as ethical guide rather than cosmogenic record here.

What is the esoteric significance?

Iron-beaked birds can be read as hardened, relentless karmic forces; the ‘disjointing’ of the body symbolizes fragmentation of the self caused by adharma.