Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 19, Shloka 29

Adhyaya 19 — Dama's Teaching

Sanskrit

न नूनं कार्तवीर्यस्य गतिं यास्यन्ति पार्थिवाः ।

यज्ञैर्दानैस्तपोभिर्वा संग्रामे चातिचेष्टितैः ॥

Transliteration

na nūnaṃ kārtavīryasya gatiṃ yāsyanti pārthivāḥ / yajñairdānaistapobhirvā saṃgrāme cāticeṣcitaiḥ

Translation

निश्चय ही अन्य राजा कार्तवीर्य की उस गति/प्राप्ति को नहीं पा सकेंगे—चाहे यज्ञों से, दानों से, तप से, या युद्ध में असाधारण पराक्रम-प्रयत्नों से भी।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ (certainly)

• कार्तवीर्यस्य: of Kārtavīrya
• कार्तवीर्यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तवीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतिम्: the course/attainment
• गतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यास्यन्ति: will reach
• यास्यन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवाः: kings
• पार्थिवाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• दानैः: by gifts
• दानैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunction/or)

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अतिचेष्टितैः: by extraordinary exertions
• अतिचेष्टितैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle used substantively): ‘by excessive exertions’

Speakers

• Aṅgiras (as quoted within Jaḍa’s narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Uniqueness of divinely sanctioned power
• Limits of merit (puṇya) without special grace
• Royal exemplarity
• Comparative evaluation of kings

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Merit-based acts (yajña, dāna, tapas) and martial effort are powerful, yet the text emphasizes an additional factor: exceptional attainment may rest on a unique conjunction of grace, destiny, and qualification—warning rulers against envy and over-competition.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita: the sage’s evaluative pronouncement magnifies the king’s legendary status within dynastic history.

What is the esoteric significance?

The verse distinguishes ‘quantity of effort’ from ‘quality of realization’: ati-ceṣṭā (over-exertion) cannot substitute for the right inner alignment—hinting that true ‘gati’ is a state of being, not merely accumulated deeds.