Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 38, Shloka 10

Adhyaya 38 — Dattatreya on Non-Identification (Mamata) and the Path to Liberation

Sanskrit

तत्र मुक्तिपथव्यापि मूढसम्पर्कसेचनः ।

विधित्साभृङ्गमालाढ्यो कृत्यज्ञानमहातरुः ॥

Transliteration

tatra muktipathavyāpi mūḍhasamparkasecanaḥ |

vidhitsābhṛṅgamālāḍhyo kṛtyajñānamahātaruḥ ||

Translation

કર્મકાંડ અને વિધિજ્ઞાનનો તે મહાવૃક્ષ મોક્ષમાર્ગ પર પણ ફેલાય છે. તે મોહગ્રસ્તોની સંગતથી સિંચાય છે અને ‘કરવાની ઇચ્છા’ રૂપ મધમાખીઓના ઝુંડોથી ભરેલો રહે છે.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there, in that (tree)
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there/in that)

• मुक्ति: liberation
• मुक्ति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• पथ: path
• पथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• व्यापि: pervading, spreading
• व्यापि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘व्यापिन्’ (pervading)

• मूढ: deluded
• मूढ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; विशेषण

• सम्पर्क: contact, association
• सम्पर्क: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्पर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• सेचनः: watering, irrigation
• सेचनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिच् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (कृदन्त; सेचन)
• Form: कर्तरि कृदन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘watering/irrigating’

• विधित्सा: desire to act/perform
• विधित्सा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधित्सा (प्रातिपदिक; इच्छार्थक भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद; ‘to do (desire)’ notion

• भृङ्ग: bee
• भृङ्ग: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• माला: garland, cluster
• माला: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• आढ्यः: abounding in, rich with
• आढ्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘rich/abounding’

• कृत्य: ritual duty, obligatory act
• कृत्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद; ‘duty/ritual act’

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद

• महातरुः: great tree
• महातरुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् तरुः)

Speakers

• Dattātreya to Jaḍa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Ritualism vs liberation
• Saṅga (association) as nourishment of bondage
• Desire-to-act (vidhitsā) as subtle entanglement

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even religious action can become an obstacle if driven by compulsive ‘must-do’ desire and reinforced by deluded company; liberation requires purifying intention and reducing egoic doership.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A dharma/jñāna critique of ritualistic entanglement within narrative instruction; not directly a sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa register.

What is the esoteric significance?

The verse hints that subtle bondage persists as ‘injunctive thirst’ (vidhitsā). The ‘tree’ covering the liberation-path symbolizes how even spiritual paths get overgrown by ego-driven religiosity unless discernment (viveka) is maintained.