Shloka 73

इन्द्रद्युम्नोपाख्यानम्

Indradyumna Upākhyāna: On Kīrti, Smṛti, and Restoration

Devanagari script

निर्विशेषा जनपदास्तथा विषौ्टिकरार्दिता: । आश्रमानुपलप्स्यन्ति फलमूलोपजीविन:,सारे जनपद एक-जैसे आचार और वेशभूषा बना लेंगे। लोग बेगार लेनेवालों और कर लेनेवालोंसे पीड़ित हो एकान्त आश्रमोंमें चले जायँगे और फल-मूल खाकर जीवन-निर्वाह करेंगे

Transliteration

nirviśeṣā janapadās tathā viṣṭikarārdītāḥ | āśramān upalapsyanti phalamūlopajīvinaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “The provinces will become indistinguishable—uniform in conduct and outward appearance. Harassed by forced labour and oppressive taxation, people will seek out secluded hermitages, living on fruits and roots.”

Word by Word

• निर्विशेषाः: undistinguished, uniform
• निर्विशेषाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विशेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनपदाः: countries, districts, settlements
• जनपदाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनपद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: and likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• विषौटिकर: by tax-collectors/forced-labour exactors (lit. collectors of imposts)
• विषौटिकर: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषौटिकर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आर्दिताः: afflicted, oppressed
• आर्दिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्दित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आश्रमान्: hermitages
• आश्रमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपलप्स्यन्ति: they will obtain/attain (reach)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-लभ्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural

• फलमूलोपजीविनः: those living on fruits and roots
• फलमूलोपजीविनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: फलमूलोपजीविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• janapada (provinces/kingdoms)
• āśrama (hermitages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When rulers or officials impose coercive labour and heavy taxation, society loses its healthy diversity and stability; people abandon civic life and retreat to ascetic survival. The verse critiques unjust governance as adharma that drives communities away from productive, dharmic social order.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a deteriorating social condition: regions become indistinguishable and people, oppressed by corvée and taxes, leave their homes to live in remote āśramas, sustaining themselves on fruits and roots.