Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 44, Shloka 32

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

अज्ञानपङ्कगर्भस्थमनुद्धारं महामतिः ।

आत्मानञ्च समुत्तीर्णं गाथामेतामगायत ॥

Transliteration

ajñāna-paṅka-garbhastham anuddhāraṃ mahāmatiḥ | ātmānañ ca samuttīrṇaṃ gāthām etām agāyata ||

Translation

महात्मा ने प्राणियों को अज्ञानरूपी कीचड़-योनि में डूबे हुए और उद्धार न पाए हुए देखा; और स्वयं को पार उतरा जानकर, उसने यह गाथा गाई।

Word by Word

• ajñāna-paṅka-garbha-stham: situated in the womb/mire of ignorance
• ajñāna-paṅka-garbha-stham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (स्थ धातु से कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष): अज्ञानरूपे पङ्के गर्भे स्थितम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (to ātmānam implied/understood)

• anuddhāram: not lifted out/unrescued
• anuddhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuddhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; न-उद्धार (not rescued); विशेषण

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महती मतिः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• ātmānam: the self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• samuttīrṇam: having crossed over/escaped
• samuttīrṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ut + tṝ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; (to ātmānam)

• gāthām: a verse/song
• gāthām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāthā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• etām: this
• etām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (to gāthām)

• agāyata: sang/recited
• agāyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speakers

• Narrator voice introducing Alarka’s gāthā

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Avidyā as mire
• Crossing over (tāraṇa)
• Didactic poetry (gāthā)
• Compassionate insight

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Realization brings both freedom and compassion: the liberated person recognizes others’ bondage and teaches through memorable aphoristic verse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic segment within narrative; no direct pañcalakṣaṇa enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Mire of ignorance’ indicates sticky habitual cognition; ‘crossing over’ evokes the Upaniṣadic metaphor of reaching the far shore beyond fear and sorrow.