Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 28, Shloka 33

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

एते संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ता धर्मा वर्णाश्रमेषु ते । एतेषु च स्वधर्मेषु स्वेषु तिष्ठेत् समन्ततः ॥

Transliteration

ete saṃkṣepataḥ proktā dharmā varṇāśrameṣu te | eteṣu ca svadharmeṣu sveṣu tiṣṭhet samantataḥ ||

Translation

These dharmas have been taught to you in brief for the varṇas and āśramas. In these respective duties, each person should remain firmly established on all sides (that is, in every way).

Word by Word

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• saṃkṣepataḥ: briefly; in summary
• saṃkṣepataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃkṣepa (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण) formed with -tas (तसिल्): 'briefly/in summary'

• proktāḥ: have been declared
• proktāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agrees with dharmāḥ; passive sense 'have been stated'

• dharmāḥ: duties; dharmas
• dharmāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana

• varṇa-āśrameṣu: in (the system of) varṇas and āśramas
• varṇa-āśrameṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana; Dvandva (itaretara): varṇeṣu ca āśrameṣu ca (in the varṇas and āśramas)

• te: for you; to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/for you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Caturthī (Dative), Ekavacana

• eteṣu: among these; in these
• eteṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• sva-dharmeṣu: in one’s own duties
• sva-dharmeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana; Tatpuruṣa: svāḥ dharmāḥ (one's own duties)

• sveṣu: in their own (respective)
• sveṣu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Bahuvacana; adjective/pronominal 'in one’s own (respective)' qualifying (svadharmeṣu)

• tiṣṭhet: should remain/abide
• tiṣṭhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ lakāra (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• samantataḥ: everywhere; entirely
• samantataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samanta (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: Avyaya adverb with -tas: 'on all sides/entirely'

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Varṇāśrama-dharma
• Svadharma
• Moral steadiness

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The teaching culminates in svadharma-niṣṭhā: stability in one’s rightly assigned duties is portrayed as the practical axis of righteous life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical-social instruction; not directly one of the five, but a Purāṇic reinforcement of dharmic continuity across time.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Standing firmly’ indicates integration: virtue is not episodic but becomes the practitioner’s steady ground, supporting higher knowledge and freedom from inner fragmentation.