Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 78

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

बिभ्रत् क्लेशमवाप्नोति जनमार्गेऽतिपीडितः ।

क्षुत्क्षामोऽहर्निशं भारपीडाव्यथितमस्तकः ॥

Transliteration

bibhrat kleśam avāpnoti janamārge 'tipīḍitaḥ / kṣutkṣāmo 'harniśaṃ bhārapīḍāvyathitamastakaḥ

Translation

ಆ ಕಲ್ಲನ್ನು ಹೊತ್ತುಕೊಂಡು ಅವನು ದುಃಖವನ್ನು ಅನುಭವಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ, ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಮಾರ್ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾರೀ ಪೀಡಿತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಹಗಲು-ರಾತ್ರಿ ಹಸಿವಿನಿಂದ ಕ್ಷೀಣಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ, ಭಾರದ ಒತ್ತಡದಿಂದ ತಲೆನೋವು ಅನುಭವಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• बिभ्रत्: bearing/carrying
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अतिपीडितः)

• क्लेशम्: pain/torment
• क्लेशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains/undergoes
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जन-मार्गे: on the public road
• जन-मार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जनानां मार्गः)

• अति-पीडितः: severely oppressed
• अति-पीडितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग) + √पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षुत्-क्षामः: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्-क्षामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• अहः-निशम्: day and night
• अहः-निशम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहः (प्रातिपदिक) + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: day and night)

• भार-पीडा-व्यथित-मस्तकः: whose head is pained by the burden’s pressure
• भार-पीडा-व्यथित-मस्तकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक) + पीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यथित (प्रातिपदिक; from √व्यथ्) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (यस्य मस्तकं भारपीडया व्यथितम्)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt; likely continuation of the prior verse’s karmic result.

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karmaphala
• Consequences of arrogance
• Suffering and humiliation imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The fruit of prideful learning is portrayed as public, continuous humiliation and hardship: when one rejects proper discipline and reverence, one’s ‘knowledge’ becomes a load carried in suffering.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/karmaphala instruction; not a direct cosmological lakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘public road’ indicates exposure of inner fault; the burden represents accumulated ego (ahaṅkāra) and unprocessed karma, producing ceaseless hunger (lack) and head-pain (mental strain).