Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 79

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

मूत्रश्लेष्मपुरीषाणि यैरुत्सृष्टानि वारिणि ।

त इमे श्लेष्मविण्मूत्रदुर्गन्धं नरकं गताः ॥

Transliteration

mūtra-śleṣma-pūrīṣāṇi yair utsṛṣṭāni vāriṇi | ta ime śleṣma-viṇ-mūtra-durgandhaṃ narakaṃ gatāḥ ||

Translation

जिन लोगों ने मूत्र, कफ और मल से जल को दूषित किया, वे ही कफ, मल और मूत्र की दुर्गन्ध से भरे नरक में जाते हैं।

Word by Word

• मूत्रश्लेष्मपुरीषाणि: urine, phlegm, and feces (together)
• मूत्रश्लेष्मपुरीषाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र + श्लेष्मन् + पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective copulative)

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; relative pronoun (instrumental plural)

• उत्सृष्टानि: cast off / discharged
• उत्सृष्टानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग-सामर्थ्य

• वारिणि: in water
• वारिणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• इमे: these (people)
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; deictic pronoun

• श्लेष्मविण्मूत्रदुर्गन्धम्: a foul-smelling (hell) of phlegm, feces, and urine
• श्लेष्मविण्मूत्रदुर्गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लेष्मन् + विण्(=विट्) + मूत्र + दुर्गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'of phlegm, feces, and urine' + दुर्गन्ध

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गताः: have gone
• गताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Dialogue frame not explicit in the provided excerpt; presented as an instructive naraka-catalogue within the Purana’s dharma discourse.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma and retribution
• Purity and pollution (śauca)
• Social ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Violation of basic purity norms—especially contaminating shared water—harms society and is treated as a grave adharmic act, yielding a like-for-like (tādṛśa) retribution: the sinner experiences the very filth imposed on others.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Dharma/ācāra teaching and karmaphala narration; it aligns most closely with Vaṃśānucarita/Upākhyāna-style didactic sections rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa proper.

What is the esoteric significance?

Water symbolizes life-supporting prāṇa and communal order; polluting it signifies inner tamas and disregard for ṛta (cosmic-social order). The ‘stinking hell’ externalizes the inner stench of corrupted conduct.