Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty

Sanskrit

तच्छ्रुत्वा नाम पुत्रस्य कृतं मात्रा महीपतिः ।

अलर्क इत्यसंबद्धं प्रहस्येदमथाब्रवीत् ॥

Transliteration

tac chrutvā nāma putrasya kṛtaṃ mātrā mahīpatiḥ / alarka ity asambaddhaṃ prahasyedam athābravīt

Translation

母が पुत्रに与えた名を聞くと、王は「アラルカ」という名がどこか縁のない奇妙なものに思えて笑い、そして次のように語った。

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• पुत्रस्य: of the son
• पुत्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive 6th), एकवचन (singular)

• कृतम्: made / done
• कृतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (विधेय/‘done’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• मात्रा: by the mother
• मात्रा: Karta (कर्ता/agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental 3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative 1st), एकवचन (singular)

• अलर्क: Alarka
• अलर्क: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• असंबद्धम्: incongruous / unrelated
• असंबद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + संबद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हस् (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र (प्र + हस्) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/आरम्भसूचक-अव्यय (then/now particle)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Narrator describing the king’s response

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Tension of values
• Name vs. meaning
• Worldly judgment
• Dialogue setup

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Worldly minds often dismiss dharmic or renunciatory signals as ‘irrelevant.’ The king’s laughter mirrors society’s reflex to measure worth by conventional categories.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Upākhyāna functioning as Dharma teaching through contrast and dialogue.

What is the esoteric significance?

The label ‘incongruous’ (asambaddha) points to a mismatch between outer criteria (glory, conquest) and inner criteria (wisdom, liberation). The narrative invites the reader to revise the criteria.