Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 27, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

हतमैलं तथा लोभान्मदाद्वेनं द्विजैर्हतम् ।

मानादनायुषापुत्रं बलिं हर्षात् पुरञ्जयम् ॥

Transliteration

hatamailaṃ tathā lobhān madād venaṃ dvijair hatam /

mānād anāyuṣāputraṃ baliṃ harṣāt purañjayam

Translation

Asimismo, (recuerda) a Aila, muerto por la codicia; a Vena, muerto por los brahmanes por su arrogancia; a Bali (hijo de Anāyuṣa) por el orgullo; y a Purañjaya por la exaltación sin freno—(así deben refrenarse tales faltas).

Word by Word

• हतम्: slain
• हतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘slain’

• इलम्: Ila
• इलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun (Ila)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘likewise’

• लोभात्: from greed
• लोभात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; cause

• मदात्: from pride
• मदात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; cause

• वेनम्: Vena
• वेनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun (Vena)

• द्विजैः: by Brahmins
• द्विजैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• हतम्: slain
• हतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies ‘वेनम्’

• मानात्: from arrogance
• मानात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; cause

• अनायुषापुत्रम्: (having) a short-lived son
• अनायुषापुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + आयुष (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष: ‘short-lived son’ / ‘son without long life’

• बलिम्: Bali
• बलिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun (Bali)

• हर्षात्: from elation
• हर्षात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; cause

• पुरञ्जयम्: Purañjaya
• पुरञ्जयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of implied स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरञ्जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun (Purañjaya)

Speakers

• Didactic instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s nīti/rājadharma discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Moral exempla
• Downfall of kings
• Inner enemies

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reinforces that each inner vice has a historical ‘case study’ of ruin; kingship is portrayed as accountable to dharma (even Brahmins can depose a tyrant like Vena), and emotional excess—pleasant or unpleasant—can be politically fatal.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic nīti with genealogical/name allusions, but not structured as vaṃśānucarita narration here; thus ancillary instruction rather than pancalakṣaṇa proper.

What is the esoteric significance?

Each named fall symbolizes a specific psychic collapse: greed’s grasping, arrogance’s intoxication, pride’s rigidity, and elation’s carelessness—together mapping a full spectrum of imbalance that dethrones dharmic discernment.