Shloka 39

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

नाथेत्युक्त्वा तु तद्रक्षस्तामादाय द्विजाङ्गनाम् ।

निन्ये भर्तृगृहं शुद्धां दौःशील्यापगमात्तदा ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca nathety uktvā tu tad rakṣas tām ādāya dvijāṅganām / ninye bhartṛgṛhaṃ śuddhāṃ dauḥśīlyāpagamāt tadā

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Saying “So be it, my lord,” that rākṣasa took the brāhmaṇa woman and led her to her husband’s house—then she was pure, for the stain of ill repute had departed.

Word by Word

• nātha: O lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; used in direct speech

• iti: thus
• iti: N/A (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking end of speech

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indicating prior action

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: N/A (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) contrast/emphasis

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as demonstrative qualifier of rakṣaḥ (sandhi)

• rakṣaḥ: the rākṣasa
• rakṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyā (क्रिया) (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + dā (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्), prior action

• dvija-aṅganām: the brahmin woman
• dvija-aṅganām: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to tām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: द्विजस्य अङ्गना

• ninye: led/took
• ninye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular

• bhartṛ-gṛham: to the husband's house
• bhartṛ-gṛham: Karma (कर्म) (destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• śuddhām: pure
• śuddhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with dvija-aṅganām/tām

• dauḥśīlya-apagamāt: from the removal of bad conduct
• dauḥśīlya-apagamāt: Hetu (हेतु) / Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dauḥśīlya (प्रातिपदिक) + apagama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दौःशील्यस्य अपगमः

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

Speakers

• Markandeya narrating (to his listener in the Purāṇic frame)

Key Themes

• Social rehabilitation
• Protection of chastity/reputation
• Narrative closure
• Restitution

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text emphasizes restoration and protection of the wronged, including the removal of unjust stigma. Dharma includes repairing harm, not merely punishing offenders.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara narrative used as dharma-upadeśa (ethical instruction) rather than cosmological sarga/pratisarga.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Purity’ here functions on two levels: outward social vindication and inward clearing of fear/shame—suggesting that rightful action can restore both order and inner equilibrium.