Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 108

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

जीवितं गुणिनः श्लाघ्यं जीवान्नेव मृतोऽगुणः ।

गुणवान् निर्वृतिं पित्रोः शत्रूणां हृदयज्वरम् ॥

Transliteration

jīvitaṃ guṇinaḥ ślāghyaṃ jīvanneva mṛto 'guṇaḥ | guṇavān nirvṛtiṃ pitroḥ śatrūṇāṃ hṛdaya-jvaram ||

Translation

徳ある者の生は称賛に値し、徳なき者は生きながらにして死せるに等しい。徳の人は父母を喜ばせ、敵の心には熱病のごとき苦悩を起こす。

Word by Word

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇinaḥ: of the virtuous man
• guṇinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ślāghyam: praiseworthy
• ślāghyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślāghya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

• jīvan: living
• jīvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (जीव्) + śatṛ (शतृ) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• mṛtaḥ: dead
• mṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √mṛ)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• aguṇaḥ: a man without virtues
• aguṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• guṇavān: the virtuous one
• guṇavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirvṛtim: contentment / delight
• nirvṛtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pitroḥ: of (his) two parents
• pitroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• śatruṇām: of enemies
• śatruṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hṛdayajvaram: heart-fever / anguish
• hṛdayajvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + jvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: hṛdayasya jvaraḥ

Speakers

• Nāgendra speaking

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Virtue ethics
• Reputation and moral life
• Filial joy
• Deterrence of adversaries

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Guṇa (character) is the measure of being truly alive; virtue produces social trust and familial happiness, while also functioning as moral strength that unsettles wrongdoing.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-oriented aphoristic teaching within narrative; not a cosmological or manvantara enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Enemies’ may denote inner vāsanās; virtue generates inner ‘heat’ for impurities, making them restless until they subside.