Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 11

Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty

Sanskrit

असन्त्येतानि चेद्भद्रे ! यदि ते मनसि स्थितम् ।

तदस्य क्रियतां नाम चतुर्थस्य सुतस्य मे ॥

Transliteration

asanty etāni ced bhadre ! yadi te manasi sthitam / tadasya kriyatāṃ nāma caturthasya sutasya me

Translation

O auspicious lady, if it is in your mind that these names are not fitting, then you yourself should fashion a name for this—my fourth son.

Word by Word

• असन्ति: are not / do not exist
• असन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• एतानि: these (things)
• एतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (singular)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• ते: of you / your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• मनसि: in (your) mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative 7th), एकवचन (singular)

• स्थितम्: is fixed/settled
• स्थितम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/स्थितिवाचक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• अस्य: of him / his
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• क्रियताम्: let (it) be done / let (it) be made
• क्रियताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• चतुर्थस्य: of the fourth
• चतुर्थस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• सुतस्य: of (my) son
• सुतस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

Speakers

• King to Madālasa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dialogue and debate
• Authority in household rites
• Naming as destiny-marker
• Respectful challenge

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The king yields space for another vision. Ethically, it models how power can listen: even entrenched social norms can be questioned within dharmic dialogue.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Upākhyāna serving Dharma instruction (how values are negotiated in family and polity).

What is the esoteric significance?

Handing over the ‘naming’ symbolizes relinquishing doership (kartṛtva). The narrative subtly moves from egoic control toward wisdom-guided surrender.