Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 8, Shloka 64

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

इत्थं ममाल्पभाग्यायाः प्रसादसुमुखो भव ।

मां संयोजय बालेन वत्सेनेव पयस्विनीम् ॥

Transliteration

itthaṃ mamālpabhāgyāyāḥ prasāda-sumukho bhava |

māṃ saṃyojaya bālena vatseneva payasvinīm ||

Translation

अतः मुझ अल्पभाग्यवती स्त्री पर कृपा कीजिए, मुझ पर प्रसन्न होइए। जैसे दूध देने वाली गाय अपने बछड़े से मिलती है, वैसे ही मुझे मेरे बालक से मिला दीजिए।

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/क्रियाविशेषण-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), manner-adverb (प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular), उत्तमपुरुष-सम्बन्ध

• अल्पभाग्यायाः: of the ill-fated (woman)
• अल्पभाग्यायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alpa-bhāgya (प्रातिपदिक; अल्प + भाग्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival) to implied feminine (e.g., स्त्री)

• प्रसादसुमुखः: kind-faced, gracious-looking
• प्रसादसुमुखः: Kartā (कर्ता/प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasāda-su-mukha (प्रातिपदिक; प्रसाद + सु + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भव: be (become)
• भव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• संयोजय: join, unite
• संयोजय: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-yuj (धातु; युज्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; causative sense not marked—simple imperative ‘join/attach’

• बालेन: with the child
• बालेन: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• वत्सेन: with a calf
• वत्सेन: Upamāna (उपमान/तृतीया with इव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• इव: like, as
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपमा-निपात (particle of comparison)

• पयस्विनीम्: a milch-cow (milk-giving one)
• पयस्विनीम्: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payasvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Not determinable from the single-verse extract alone (requires surrounding verses to identify the supplicant and addressee).

Shakti Aspects

• Not explicit in this verse (no named Devī-epithet present).

Key Themes

• Supplication
• Grace (prasāda)
• Protection and reunion
• Maternal/child imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse models śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) through humility: the speaker confesses limited “fortune” (alpa-bhāgya) and appeals to the addressee’s prasāda (grace). Ethically, it elevates compassion and the duty to protect the vulnerable, using the natural bond of cow and calf as a normative image for rightful reunion and care.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly an instance of sarga (creation), pratisarga, vaṃśa (genealogy), manvantara, or vaṃśānucarita. It belongs more to the Purāṇic narrative-ethical layer (ākhyāna/upākhyāna) that supports dharma by exemplifying conduct and appeals to grace.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, the ‘milk-bearing cow’ (payasvinī) and ‘calf’ (vatsa) can signify śakti and jīva (or nourishment and the dependent being): when separated, nourishment is obstructed; when united, flow is restored. The request ‘saṃyojaya’ points to reintegration—of what is naturally connected—mirroring the restoration of right order (ṛta/dharma) through compassionate alignment.