Shloka 14

Devanagari script

त्रिविध॑ संस्थिता होते पडच पञठ्च पृथक्‌ पृथक्‌ । मुष्णन्त्यत्र स्थिता होते स्वर्गतो यज्ञयाजिन:,इस प्रकार ये पंद्रह देवोपम प्रभावशाली विनायक पृथक्‌-पृथक्‌ पाँच-पाँच व्यक्तियोंके तीन दलोंमें विभक्त हैं। इस पृथ्वीपर ही रहकर स्वर्गलोकसे भी यज्ञकर्ता पुरुषोंकी यज्ञ- सामग्रीका अपहरण कर लेते हैं

Transliteration

trividhā saṃsthitā hy ete pañca ca pañca pṛthak pṛthak | muṣṇanty atra sthitā hy ete svargato yajñayājinaḥ ||

Translation

Markandeya said: “These beings are arranged in three separate bands, each consisting of five, distinct from one another. Though they remain here on earth, they steal away the sacrificial requisites of men who perform sacrifices—as if from heaven itself—thus obstructing righteous ritual action.”

Word by Word

त्रिविधाःthreefold (in three groups)

संस्थिताःarranged/placed, stationed

होतेtwo Hotṛ priests

पञ्चfive

पृथक्separately

मुष्णन्तिthey steal

अत्रhere (in this world/at this place)

स्थिताःstanding/remaining

होतेtwo Hotṛ priests

स्वर्गतःfrom heaven

यज्ञयाजिनःof the sacrificer (one who performs sacrifices)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Vināyakāḥ (implied by the accompanying Hindi gloss)

Svarga (heaven)

Yajña (sacrifice)

Yajñayājinaḥ (sacrificers)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that even righteous acts like sacrifice can be hindered by disruptive forces; vigilance, purity of practice, and protective rites are implied to safeguard dharmic action from theft and obstruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya describes a set of powerful beings arranged as fifteen in three bands of five. Though present on earth, they are said to steal the offerings and requisites of sacrificers, undermining yajña.