Shloka 2

Yugapramāṇa–Kaliyuga-lakṣaṇa–Pralaya-kathā

Markandeya’s Account of Yugas, Kali Signs, and Dissolution

Devanagari script

तमत्रिर्गन्तुमारेभे वित्तार्थमिति नः श्रुतम्‌ । भूयो<र्थ नानुरुध्यत्‌ स धर्मव्यक्तिनिदर्शनात्‌,उन दिनों महात्मा अत्रिने धन माँगनेकी इच्छासे उनके पास जानेका विचार किया, यह बात हमारे सुननेमें आयी है; परंतु ऐसा करनेसे उनको अपना धर्मात्मापन प्रकट करना पड़ता। इसलिये फिर उन्होंने धनके लिये अनुरोध नहीं किया

Transliteration

tam atrir gantum ārebhe vittārtham iti naḥ śrutam | bhūyo 'rthaṁ nānurudhyat sa dharmavyakti-nidarśanāt ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “We have heard that the sage Atri set out to go to him with the aim of obtaining wealth. Yet, because such a request would have served as a public display of his own righteousness, he did not press again for money.”

Word by Word

{'tam''him

that person (accusative singular)', 'atriḥ''Atri (the sage)', 'gantum': 'to go (infinitive)', 'ārebhe': 'began

set about', 'vitta-artham''for the sake of wealth

with the purpose of obtaining money', 'iti''thus

so (quotative particle)', 'naḥ''of us

to us', 'śrutam''heard

it is heard/known (past passive participle)', 'bhūyaḥ''again

further', 'artham''wealth

also ‘purpose’ (herewealth)', 'na anurudhyat': 'did not request

did not press/urge', 'sa''he', 'dharma': 'righteousness

moral law', 'vyakti''manifestation

display', 'nidarśanāt''because of/for the reason of showing

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Atri

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights restraint in seeking material gain: even when need or opportunity exists, a virtuous person avoids actions that would turn righteousness into self-advertisement. Dharma is to be lived, not displayed for recognition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya reports a tradition that Atri intended to approach a certain person to ask for wealth, but then refrained from repeating the request, since doing so would amount to showcasing his own moral stature.