Adhyaya 71 — The King’s Remorse and the Sage’s Counsel on the Necessity of a Wife
मār्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्ते प्रणिपत्यैनमारुह्य स्यन्दनं ततः ।
उत्तमः पृथिवीपाल आजगाम निजं पुरम् ॥
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityukte praṇipatya enam āruhya syandanaṃ tataḥ | uttamaḥ pṛthivīpāla ājagāma nijaṃ puram ||
मार्कण्डेय बोले—यह कहे जाने पर उसने उन्हें प्रणाम किया और रथ पर आरूढ़ हुआ। तत्पश्चात् पृथ्वी का रक्षक उत्तम अपने नगर को लौट आया।
Instruction is sealed by humility: the king’s bowing before departing underscores receptivity to dharmic counsel as a prerequisite for righteous governance.
Manvantara/Anucarita narrative sequencing—events in a Manu-era account, moving the story to the next chapter’s consequence.
Mounting the chariot after obeisance can symbolize that action (karma) should proceed only after alignment with higher principle (dharma/ācārya-vākya).