Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 75

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

राजोवाच कथं स्पृहां करिष्यन्ति मत्सम्पर्केषु मानवाः ।

यदि सत्सन्निधावेṣामुत्कर्षो नोपजायते ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca kathaṃ spṛhāṃ kariṣyanti matsamparkeṣu mānavāḥ | yadi satsannidhāveṣām utkarṣo nopajāyate ||

Translation

The king said: “How will people develop any longing for the good through contact with me, if, even in the presence of the virtuous, their uplift does not arise?”

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular; Parasmaipada

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• spṛhām: desire/longing
• spṛhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: spṛhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kariṣyanti: will make/feel
• kariṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्/future), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Plural; Parasmaipada

• mat-samparkeṣu: in contact/association with me
• mat-samparkeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक) + samparka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; tatpuruṣa: ‘मम सम्पर्कः’

• mānavāḥ: people/humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/conditional particle (सम्बन्धबोधक निपात)

• sat-sannidhau: in the presence of the good
• sat-sannidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘सतः सन्निधिः’

• eṣām: of these (people)
• eṣām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• utkarṣaḥ: excellence/elevation
• utkarṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkarṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• upajāyate: arises/comes about
• upajāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular; Ātmanepada; upa+√jan

Speakers

• King (rājā) speaking within the Pitā–Putra narrative frame

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Self-doubt and humility
• Saṅga (association)
• Moral transformation
• Limits of external influence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the best environment cannot force inner change; receptivity (adhikāra) matters. The king’s humility highlights that moral uplift requires both guidance and the individual’s willingness to respond.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma-śikṣā embedded in narrative (ākhyāna). Not a direct sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita unit, but consistent with Purāṇic ethical instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

“Presence of the good” can be read as proximity to sattva (clarity). If no uplift arises, it indicates dominance of tamas/rajas; transformation requires inner turning, not mere physical nearness.