Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 18, Shloka 7

Adhyaya 18 — Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

Sanskrit

गृह्णतो बलिषड्भागं नृपतेर्नरको ध्रुवम् ।

निरूपितमिदं राज्ञः पूर्वै रक्षणवेतनम् ॥

Transliteration

gṛhṇato bali-ṣaḍbhāgaṃ nṛpater narako dhruvam /

nirūpitam idaṃ rājñaḥ pūrvair rakṣaṇa-vetanam

Translation

For the king who takes bali and the sixth share without duly protecting, hell is certain. This has been determined by the ancients as the king’s wage for protection (that is, the levy is justified only as payment for safeguarding).

Word by Word

• गृह्णतः: of (one) who takes/collects
• गृह्णतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमान-कृदन्त/शतृ), Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• बलि-षट्-भागम्: the one-sixth share of tribute
• बलि-षट्-भागम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound meaning 'one-sixth of bali/tribute' (षड्भाग as dvigu inside)

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• नरकः: hell
• नरकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Used adverbially as indeclinable (निपातवत्), meaning 'certainly'

• निरूपितम्: has been laid down/defined
• निरूपितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + रूप् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with इदम्

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• पूर्वैः: by the ancients
• पूर्वैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; 'by the ancients/former (sages)'

• रक्षण-वेतनम्: wages/payment for protection
• रक्षण-वेतनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + वेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रक्षणस्य वेतनम्) in apposition to इदम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice (normative rājadharma statement)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Rājadharma
• Tax as wage
• Karmic consequence
• Protection obligation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse defines taxation as remuneration for protection; extracting revenue without fulfilling that duty is not merely inefficient but gravely sinful with assured negative afterlife consequences.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma (especially rājadharma) embedded in vaṃśānucarita; it supports Purāṇic moral governance as part of societal maintenance.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Rakṣaṇa-vetana’ encodes a dharmic economy: authority must circulate benefit. When circulation stops (taking without giving), the ruler’s spiritual trajectory collapses (naraka as the symbol of that collapse).