Shloka 23

Adhyaya 71 — The King’s Remorse and the Sage’s Counsel on the Necessity of a Wife

Sanskrit

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततो राजा परं हर्षमवाप्य तमपृच्छत ।

द्विजवर्यं स्वदौर्भाग्यकारणं दयितां प्रति ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tato rājā paraṃ harṣam avāpya tam apṛcchata / dvijavaryaṃ sva-daubhāgya-kāraṇaṃ dayitāṃ prati

Translation

マールカンデーヤは言った。そこで王は大いなる歓喜を得て、最勝のバラモンに、自らの愛妻に関する不運の原因を問いただした。

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरम् (adverb: then/thereafter)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परम्: great
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (हर्षम् इति)

• हर्षम्: joy
• हर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अवाप्य: having obtained
• अवाप्य: Kriyā (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्यय, absolutive/gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having obtained)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपृच्छत: asked
• अपृच्छत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजवर्यम्: the excellent Brahmin
• द्विजवर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वर्यः द्विजः)

• स्वदौर्भाग्यकारणम्: the cause of his own misfortune
• स्वदौर्भाग्यकारणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + दौर्भाग्य + कारण (प्रातिपदिक-त्रय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य दौर्भाग्यस्य कारणम्)

• दयिताम्: beloved (wife)
• दयिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दयिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards/with regard to
• प्रति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद/संबन्धार्थक (preposition: towards/with regard to)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating; king addressing a sage (dvijavarya)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Inquiry into karma
• Marital relations
• Role of sages as diagnosticians of fate

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The proper response to suffering is inquiry (praśna) and willingness to understand causality rather than mere complaint; the king seeks the root (kāraṇa), aligning with dharmic self-examination.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Carita (dialogue-driven narrative). It supports purāṇic function of teaching dharma through exemplary questioning and answer.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Joy’ before the question suggests readiness—when the mind becomes receptive, the hidden causal chain of relationships can be revealed and transformed.