Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 88

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

Sanskrit

करम्भवालुकां तस्मात् ततो यन्त्रानपीडनम् ।

असिपत्रवनं तस्मात् करपत्रेण पाटनम् ॥

Transliteration

karambha-vālukāṃ tasmāt tato yantrān apīḍanam | asipatra-vanaṃ tasmāt karapatreṇa pāṭanam ||

Translation

ຈາກນັ້ນ (ເຂົາໄປ) ສູ່ «ໂຈກຊາຍ» (ທໍລະມານໃຫ້ກິນເຂົ້າຕົ້ມຮ້ອນແຜດທີ່ມີເມັດຊາຍກະດ້າງ); ແລ້ວຖືກບີບຂະຍີ້ດ້ວຍເຄື່ອງຈັກ. ຈາກນັ້ນ (ເຂົາໄປ) ສູ່ປ່າໃບຄົມດັ່ງດາບ; ແລ້ວຖືກຕັດແລະສີກຂາດດ້ວຍໃບຄົມດັ່ງເລື່ອຍ.

Word by Word

• karambha-vālukām: (a mixture of) gruel and sand
• karambha-vālukām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karambha (प्रातिपदिक) + vālukā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार-द्वन्द्व): ‘करम्भश्च वालुका च’ (gruel and sand mixture); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tasmāt: thereafter/from that
• tasmāt: Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (सर्वनाम-अव्यय/तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थ (ablatival adverb) ‘from that/thereafter’

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थ (then/thereupon)

• yantrān: machines/contrivances
• yantrān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Plural)

• apīḍanam: pressing/crushing
• apīḍanam: Karma (कर्म/Object/Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ā + pīḍ (धातु) → apīḍana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (action noun) ‘pressing/torture’

• asi-patra-vanam: the forest of sword-leaves
• asi-patra-vanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asi (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘असिपत्राणि यस्मिन् वनम्’ (forest of sword-leaves); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tasmāt: thereafter
• tasmāt: Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थ ‘thereafter/from that’

• kara-patreṇa: with the hand-blade
• kara-patreṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘करस्य पत्रम्’ / ‘करपत्र’ (hand-like blade/leaf); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• pāṭanam: cutting/cleaving
• pāṭanam: Karma (कर्म/Object/Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṭ (धातु) → pāṭana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक (action noun) ‘cutting/splitting’

Speakers

• Dialogue frame not explicit in the provided excerpt; continuation of the naraka-torment itinerary.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma and retribution
• Graphic naraka imagery
• Consequences of betrayal/harm (contextual continuation)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Actions that ‘injure’ others are repaid through escalating ‘injury’ experiences. The catalogue functions as deterrence: vivid imagery to restrain cruelty and betrayal in ordinary life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic karmaphala material; not a pancalakṣaṇa core item, but a moral-educational appendix within Purāṇic narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sand-porridge suggests corrupted nourishment (what should sustain becomes abrasive); machines symbolize impersonal karmic law; sword-leaf forests symbolize the mind’s own sharp vṛttis turning into a hostile environment.