Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 43, Shloka 62

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

दिष्ट्या मन्दबलश्चाहं दिष्ट्या भृत्याश्च मे हताः ।

दिष्ट्या कोशः क्षयं यातो दिष्ट्याहं भीतिमागतः ॥

Transliteration

diṣṭyā manda-balaś cāhaṃ diṣṭyā bhṛtyāś ca me hatāḥ /

diṣṭyā kośaḥ kṣayaṃ yāto diṣṭyāhaṃ bhītim āgataḥ

Translation

By good fortune I became weak in power; by good fortune my retainers were slain; by good fortune my treasury went to ruin; by good fortune I came into fear.

Word by Word

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण निपातार्थे (interjection) ‘fortunately’

• मन्द-बलः: weak (in strength)
• मन्द-बलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘मन्दं बलं यस्य’ (weak in strength)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; निपातार्थे ‘fortunately’

• भृत्याः: servants
• भृत्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• हताः: killed
• हताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘killed’

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; निपातार्थे ‘fortunately’

• कोशः: treasury
• कोशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• क्षयम्: to ruin/decay
• क्षयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यातः: has gone/reached
• यातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: या (धातु) → यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘gone/reached’

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; निपातार्थे ‘fortunately’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भीतिम्: fear
• भीतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आगतः: has come (to)
• आगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘come/arrived’

Speakers

• Alarka to Atri’s son

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Vairagya
• Reversal of values
• Impermanence of power and wealth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse inverts ordinary valuation: what the world calls disaster can be spiritually beneficial if it breaks attachment. It teaches impermanence and the danger of dependence on status, entourage, and wealth.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction through narrative example (dharma-upadeśa) rather than a primary pancalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

Loss of ‘bala, bhṛtya, kośa’ represents stripping of external supports (bahiraṅga-upādhi). Fear becomes the doorway to inner refuge (antarātmā-śaraṇa) and disciplined practice.