Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 63, Shloka 16

Adhyaya 63 — The Birth of Svarocis and the Rescue of Manoramā: The Astra-Heart and the Healing of Curses

Sanskrit

क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठो निस्तेजा दूरपाताक्षितारकः । मयावहसितः क्रुद्धः स तदा मां शशाप ह ॥

Transliteration

kṣutkṣāmakaṇṭho nistejā dūrapātākṣitārakaḥ / mayāvahasitaḥ kruddhaḥ sa tadā māṃ śaśāpa ha

Translation

“His throat was withered from hunger, he seemed lusterless, and his pupils were sunken deep. Mocked by me, he became angry and then cursed me.”

Word by Word

• क्षुत्: hunger
• क्षुत्: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• क्षामकण्ठः: with a wasted throat/neck
• क्षामकण्ठः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षाम + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘क्षामः कण्ठः यस्य’)

• निस्तेजाः: lacking radiance
• निस्तेजाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (‘तेजः नास्ति यस्य’)

• दूरपाताक्षितारकः: with deeply sunken eyes
• दूरपाताक्षितारकः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर + पात + अक्षि + तारक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘दूरं पातं (पतितं) अक्षिणी यस्य, (तस्मात्) तारकाः (पुतलिकाः) दृश्यन्ते’ इत्यर्थे; ‘sunken-eyed’

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive participle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अवहसितः: mocked
• अवहसितः: Kriyā (क्रिया/predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √हस् (धातु) + क्त (अवहसित)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘was mocked/laughed at’

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (क्रुद्ध)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल/time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शशाप: cursed
• शशाप: Kriyā (क्रिया/main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: Nipata (निपात/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (expletive/particle)

Speakers

• Maiden (Manoramā) recounting; the sage as actor of the curse

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Aparādha (offense) against tapas
• Speech/behavior ethics
• Curse as karmic consequence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The moral center is aparādha: contempt toward austerity and spiritual striving generates immediate karmic consequence. External appearance is not a valid basis for disrespect.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna used to teach dharma (sadācāra) and the potency of tapas (tapas-bala), a common puranic didactic device.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘lusterless’ exterior masks inner tejas. The curse motif warns that spiritual power is subtle; misreading surfaces leads to downfall—an allegory for ignorance (avidyā) judging by appearances.