Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 28, Shloka 35

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

Sanskrit

ये च स्वधर्मसन्त्यागात् पापं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः ।

उपेक्षतस्तान् नृपतेरिष्टापूर्तं प्रणश्यति ॥

Transliteration

ye ca svadharmasantyāgāt pāpaṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ | upekṣatas tān nṛpater iṣṭāpūrtaṃ praṇaśyati ||

Translation

And those men who, abandoning their own duty (svadharma), commit sin—if the king disregards them, the king’s merit from sacrifices and charitable works (iṣṭa and pūrta) is destroyed.

Speakers

• Madālasā instructing (to her son Alarka) within the Putrānuśāsana discourse

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Karma (merit and demerit)
• Social ethics
• Varṇa duties