Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 56

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

राजोवाच न स्वर्गे ब्रह्मलोके वा तत्सुखं प्राप्यते नरैः ।

यदार्तजन्तुनिर्वाणदानोत्थमिति मे मतिः ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca na svarge brahmaloke vā tat sukhaṃ prāpyate naraiḥ | yad ārta-jantu-nirvāṇa-dānottham iti me matiḥ ||

Translation

ພະມະຫາກະສັດກ່າວວ່າ: «ຄວາມສຸກທີ່ເກີດຈາກການໃຫ້ຄວາມຜ່ອນຄາຍ/ການປົດປ່ອຍແກ່ສັດທີ່ຖືກທຸກທໍລະມານ—ຄວາມສຸກນັ້ນ ມະນຸດບໍ່ອາດໄດ້ຮັບ ແມ່ນແຕ່ໃນສະຫວັນ ຫຼື ໃນພຣະພຣະຫມະໂລກ; ນີ້ແມ່ນຄວາມໝັ້ນໃຈຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ»។

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• brahma-loke: in Brahmaloka
• brahma-loke: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘in Brahma’s world’

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction), विकल्पार्थ ‘or’

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण of sukham

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• prāpyate: is obtained
• prāpyate: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘is obtained’

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; passive agent

• yat: which
• yat: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; correlating to ‘tat sukham’

• ārta-jantu-nirvāṇa-dāna-uttham: arising from granting release to afflicted beings
• ārta-jantu-nirvāṇa-dāna-uttham: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta + jantu + nirvāṇa + dāna + uttha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘arising from giving liberation to afflicted creatures’ (qualifies sukham)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakyopanyasa (वाक्योपन्यास/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• matiḥ: opinion, thought
• matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speakers

• King (rājā)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Compassion
• Dāna
• Ethics
• Soteriology (relief from suffering)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Compassionate action that tangibly relieves suffering is valued above personal celestial reward. The verse elevates altruistic dharma (paropakāra) as a superior ‘sukha’ to post-mortem enjoyments.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma-upadeśa embedded in narrative; it is an ethical maxim rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Nirvāṇa’ here hints at the inner quenching of duḥkha through self-transcending giving: when ego loosens via dāna, a higher joy arises that even ‘lokas’ cannot match.