Shloka 29

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

Sanskrit

मār्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्ते प्रणिपत्यैनमारुह्य स्यन्दनं ततः ।

उत्तमः पृथिवीपाल आजगाम निजं पुरम् ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityukte praṇipatya enam āruhya syandanaṃ tataḥ | uttamaḥ pṛthivīpāla ājagāma nijaṃ puram ||

Translation

ಮಾರ್ಕಂಡೇಯನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಇದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಾಗ ಅವನು ಅವರಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸಿ ರಥವನ್ನು ಏರಿದನು. ನಂತರ ಭೂಮಿಯ ರಕ್ಷಕನಾದ ಉತ್ತಮನು ತನ್ನ ನಗರಕ್ಕೆ ಮರಳಿದನು.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (अव्यय); quotative particle (इत्यर्थक)

• उक्ते: when (it was) said
• उक्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त, क्तप्रत्यय), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); locative absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down
• प्रणिपत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ल्यप्-form: -त्य; expresses prior action (पूर्वक्रिया)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), ल्यप्-form: -ह्य; prior action

• स्यन्दनम्: chariot
• स्यन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

• उत्तमः: Uttama
• उत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper name

• पृथिवीपालः: protector of the earth (king)
• पृथिवीपालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पृथिव्याः पालः

• आजगाम: came
• आजगाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• निजम्: his own
• निजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (narrator)

Key Themes

• Narrative closure
• Royal etiquette
• Dharma via humility (praṇipāta)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Instruction is sealed by humility: the king’s bowing before departing underscores receptivity to dharmic counsel as a prerequisite for righteous governance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara/Anucarita narrative sequencing—events in a Manu-era account, moving the story to the next chapter’s consequence.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mounting the chariot after obeisance can symbolize that action (karma) should proceed only after alignment with higher principle (dharma/ācārya-vākya).