Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 37

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

Sanskrit

धरामरान् पर्वसु तर्पयेथाः समीहितं बन्धुषु पूरयेथाः ।

हितं परस्मै हृदि चिन्तयेथाः मनः परस्त्रीषु निवर्तयेथाः ॥

Transliteration

dharāmarān parvasu tarpayethāḥ samīhitaṃ bandhuṣu pūrayethāḥ | hitaṃ parasmai hṛdi cintayethāḥ manaḥ parastrīṣu nivartayethāḥ ||

Translation

On sacred occasions you should satisfy the gods and the ancestors; fulfill the rightful wishes of your kinsmen; in your heart intend what is beneficial for others; and withdraw your mind from another’s wife.

Word by Word

• धरामरान्: earthly beings and gods
• धरामरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + अमर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (धरा च अमराश्च)

• पर्वसु: on festivals/occasions
• पर्वसु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• तर्पयेथाः: you should satisfy
• तर्पयेथाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to be satisfied’)

• समीहितम्: what is desired
• समीहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-ईहित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (desired/aimed-at thing)

• बन्धुषु: among relatives
• बन्धुषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• पूरयेथाः: you should fulfil
• पूरयेथाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘make full/fulfil’)

• हितम्: what is beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (कृदन्त; क्त from धा/हि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘beneficial thing’

• परस्मै: for another (person)
• परस्मै: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चिन्तयेथाः: you should consider
• चिन्तयेथाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘cause to think/consider’)

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परस्त्रीषु: toward others' women
• परस्त्रीषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य स्त्रियः)

• निवर्तयेथाः: you should restrain/turn back
• निवर्तयेथाः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘restrain/turn back’)

Speakers

• Madālasā advising her son (Ālarka) within Jaḍa’s narration

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs (ancestors, implied by tarpaṇa)
• Devas (gods)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-tarpaṇa
• Social duty
• Self-restraint (brahmacarya/sexual ethics)
• Benevolence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is presented as a fourfold discipline: ritual reciprocity (deva/pitṛ offerings), familial responsibility, universal goodwill, and restraint of desire—especially the socially destructive act of coveting another’s spouse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Again, dharma-upadeśa embedded in narrative (ākhyāna). It supports the purāṇic aim of shaping conduct within royal lineages (vaṃśānucarita ethos) rather than enumerating cosmological categories.

What is the esoteric significance?

Tarpana symbolizes ‘feeding’ higher and ancestral currents (gratitude and continuity). Restraining the mind from parastrī is an inner yajña: redirecting desire into dharmic intention (hita-cintana).