Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 4

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

चिरं जीवोरुकल्याण ! हतास्ते परिपन्थिनः ।

पित्रोः प्रह्लादय मनस्तथास्माकमकण्टकम् ॥

Transliteration

ciraṃ jīvoru-kalyāṇa! hatās te paripanthinaḥ | pitroḥ prahlādaya manas tathāsmākam akaṇṭakam ||

Translation

“Live long, O greatly fortunate one! Your enemies who lay in wait have been slain. Now gladden the hearts of your parents—and make our path free of thorns (free of trouble).”

Word by Word

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: long)

• जीव: live!
• जीव: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• उरुकल्याण: O greatly auspicious one!
• उरुकल्याण: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरु + कल्याण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (one who is greatly auspicious)

• हताः: killed, slain
• हताः: कर्तृ/कर्मभावे विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण परिपन्थिनः-शब्दस्य

• ते: your
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; (your)

• परिपन्थिनः: enemies, assailants
• परिपन्थिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिपन्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पित्रोः: of (your) two parents
• पित्रोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• प्रह्लादय: gladden, make rejoice!
• प्रह्लादय: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+ह्लाद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: also, likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यताबोधक (also/likewise)

• अस्माकम्: of us, our
• अस्माकम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; (of us/our)

• अकण्टकम्: free of obstacles/troubles
• अकण्टकम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (thornless = free from obstacles), विशेषण (मनः implied)

Speakers

• Citizens/townspeople (paurāḥ)
• addressing the returning figure

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Benediction
• Social order
• Parents’ honor
• Safety from enemies

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Blessing (āśīrvāda) is framed not merely as personal welfare but as restoration of dhārmic order: parents’ peace and the community’s freedom from danger are treated as shared goods.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative (vaṃśānucarita-adjacent) rather than cosmological categories; it illustrates social dharma within a biographical story.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Akaṇṭaka’ (thornless path) can symbolize the removal of inner obstacles (kleśas). The call to gladden the parents hints at the karmic weight of filial duty (pitṛ-ṛṇa).