Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 62, Shloka 6

Adhyaya 62 — Sumati's Tale

Sanskrit

ततः क्षणेनैव तदा निजगेहमवाप्य सः ।

यथाप्रोक्तं द्विजश्रेष्ठश्चकार सकलाः क्रियाः ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ kṣaṇenaiva tadā nijageham avāpya saḥ | yathāproktaṃ dvijaśreṣṭhaś cakāra sakalāḥ kriyāḥ ||

Translation

Then, in a moment, he reached his own home; and that excellent brahmin performed all the rites exactly as prescribed.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (temporal/sequence adverb)

• क्षणेन: in a moment; within an instant
• क्षणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• निज-गेहम्: his own house
• निज-गेहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + गेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (निजं गेहम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• अवाप्य: having reached
• अवाप्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having reached/obtained’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• यथा-प्रोक्तम्: as instructed; as said
• यथा-प्रोक्तम्: Prakāra (प्रकार/ manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, √वच्)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial)

• द्विज-श्रेष्ठः: the best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज-श्रेष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानां श्रेष्ठः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चकार: did; performed
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सकलाः: all
• सकलाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying क्रियाः)

• क्रियाः: rites; actions
• क्रियाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Markandeya (narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Orthopraxy (doing rites as enjoined)
• Householder duties
• Dharma despite inner disturbance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when the mind is affected, dharma is upheld through disciplined action—‘yathāproktam’ emphasizes fidelity to injunctions as a stabilizing force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction within story; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ritual ‘kriyā’ can be read as a technology for re-centering: prescribed acts regulate prāṇa and attention, counterbalancing agitation from desire.