Shloka 48
Duryodhana Seized by Citraseṇa; Kaurava Petition to Yudhiṣṭhira (दुर्योधनापहारः / चित्रसेनगन्धर्वग्रहणम्)
आसीनश्च शयानश्व यः पश्यति नरः पितृन् | उन्माद्यति स तु क्षिप्रं स ज्ञेयस्तु पितृग्रह:,जो मनुष्य बैठे-बैठे या सोते समय पितरोंको देखता और शीघ्र पागल हो जाता है, उस बाधा देनेवाले ग्रहको 'पितृग्रह” जानना चाहिये
āsīnaś ca śayānaś ca yaḥ paśyati naraḥ pitṝn | unmādyati sa tu kṣipraṃ sa jñeyas tu pitṛgrahaḥ ||
Mārkaṇḍeya bersabda: “Bila seorang manusia, entah sedang duduk atau berbaring, mulai melihat para Pitṛ (leluhur yang telah wafat) dan segera jatuh ke dalam kegilaan, maka gangguan yang mencengkeramnya itu harus dikenali sebagai ‘Pitṛ-graha’.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse gives a diagnostic sign: if someone repeatedly sees the ancestors while awake or lying down and rapidly becomes delirious, the tradition classifies it as a specific affliction called pitṛgraha. The ethical implication is practical—recognize the condition correctly so that appropriate remedial rites and disciplined conduct can be undertaken rather than misreading it as a benign vision.
Mārkaṇḍeya is instructing about signs of supernatural or unseen afflictions (grahas). Here he identifies a particular symptom-pattern—visions of the Pitṛs followed by quick onset of madness—and names the responsible graha as pitṛgraha.