Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 43, Shloka 60

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

अलर्क उवाच दिष्ट्या देवैरिदं ब्रह्मन् ! पराभिभवसम्भवम् ।

उपपादितमत्युग्रं प्राणसन्देहदं भयम् ॥

Transliteration

alarka uvāca diṣṭyā devair idaṃ brahman! parābhibhava-sambhavam /

upapāditam atyugraṃ prāṇa-sandeha-daṃ bhayam

Translation

अलर्क ने कहा—सौभाग्य से, हाँ देवताओं के ही द्वारा, मेरे पराभव और अपमान से उत्पन्न यह अत्यन्त घोर भय उत्पन्न हुआ, जिससे मुझे अपने प्राणों तक पर संदेह हो गया।

Word by Word

• अलर्कः: Alarka
• अलर्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• दिष्ट्या: fortunately
• दिष्ट्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण निपातार्थे (interjection) ‘fortunately/by good luck’

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin!
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• पर-अभिभव-सम्भवम्: arising from being overcome by others
• पर-अभिभव-सम्भवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिभव (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास—‘परस्य अभिभवः’ (defeat by others) तस्य सम्भवः (arising from)

• उपपादितम्: brought about
• उपपादितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप+पद् (धातु) → उपपादित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘brought about/produced’

• अति-उग्रम्: very fierce
• अति-उग्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘अत्यन्तं उग्रम्’ (very fierce)

• प्राण-सन्देह-दम्: life-threatening (causing doubt about life)
• प्राण-सन्देह-दम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्देह (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष—‘प्राणेषु सन्देहं ददाति’ (giving doubt about life)

• भयम्: fear/danger
• भयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

Speakers

• Alarka addressing Atri’s son; Jaḍa framed narration continues

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Providence (diṣṭi)
• Transformative suffering
• Detachment through crisis

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Suffering can be reinterpreted as grace when it breaks complacency and turns one toward wisdom. The verse teaches reframing adversity as a catalyst for dharmic and spiritual awakening.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative (vaṃśānucarita-like episode) illustrating dharma and vairāgya; not a direct lakṣaṇa unit such as sarga or manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Fear that doubts life’ marks the collapse of worldly supports; in yogic terms it can precipitate dispassion (vairāgya) and sharpen discrimination between the perishable (anitya) and the imperishable (nitya).