Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 11

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

पुंस्कोकिलत्वमाप्नोति स चापि नरकाच्च्युतः । सखिभार्यां गुरोर्भार्यां राजभार्यां च पापकृत् ॥

Transliteration

puṃskokilatvamāpnoti sa cāpi narakāccyutaḥ / sakhibhāryāṃ gurorbhāryāṃ rājabhāryāñca pāpakṛt

Translation

Aquel pecador—caído de nuevo desde el infierno—alcanza el estado de un cuco macho. Quien viola a la esposa de un amigo, la esposa de un maestro o la esposa de un rey obtiene tal nacimiento.

Word by Word

• पुंस्-कोकिलत्वम्: male-cuckoo-hood (state of being a male cuckoo)
• पुंस्-कोकिलत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक) + कोकिलत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन (singular)

• आप्नोति: attains/gets
• आप्नोति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

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

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• च्युतः: fallen (from)/departed
• च्युतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √च्यु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle: 'fallen/departed')

• सखि-भार्याम्: a friend's wife
• सखि-भार्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case, Genitive), एकवचन

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राज-भार्याम्: a king's wife
• राज-भार्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• पापकृत्: evil-doer/sinner
• पापकृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृदन्त, √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in input (didactic narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Guru-bhakti and respect
• Social order (royal authority)
• Karma, naraka, and rebirth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse marks certain relationships—teacher and king especially—as protected by dharma; violating them is treated as an assault on the moral and civic fabric, not merely a private act.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/karma-vipāka instruction rather than pancalakṣaṇa narrative material.

What is the esoteric significance?

The cuckoo motif can encode ‘seductive voice’ and clandestine mating; the rebirth image mirrors the misuse of charm and desire that bypasses rightful boundaries.