Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 4
Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell
भ्रातुः पत्न्यवमन्ता च कपोतत्वं प्रपद्यते । तामेव पीडयित्वा तु कच्छपत्वं प्रपद्यते ॥
bhrātuḥ patnyavamantā ca kapotatvaṃ prapadyate / tāmeva pīḍayitvā tu kacchapatvaṃ prapadyate
जो अपने भाई की पत्नी का अपमान करता है, वह कबूतर की योनि को प्राप्त होता है; और जो उसी स्त्री को और अधिक कष्ट देता या हिंसा करता है, वह कछुए की योनि में जन्म लेता है।
{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
The verse frames social/sexual transgressions—especially violations involving a brother’s wife—as grave adharma with tangible karmic repercussions. The escalating consequence (pigeon → tortoise) signals increasing moral weight when disrespect becomes direct harm.
Primarily within Dharma/karma-vipāka teaching rather than the five hallmark topics; it most closely aligns with ethical instruction ancillary to Purāṇic narration (not a direct Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita statement in itself).
Animal rebirth functions symbolically: the ‘fall’ into non-human embodiment reflects contraction of discernment (buddhi) and relational dharma. The specific animal images act as mnemonic moral coding for the listener.