Shloka 15

Adhyaya 72 — The Reconciliation Rite, Sarasvati Sacrifice, and the Birth of Uttama Manu (Auttama Manvantara Prelude)

Sanskrit

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तस्तेन विप्रेण भूपालो विस्मितस्तदा । सस्मार तं महावीर्यं सत्यसन्धं निशाचरम् ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ity uktas tena vipreṇa bhūpālo vismitas tadā / sasmāra taṃ mahāvīryaṃ satyasandhaṃ niśācaram

Translation

മാർക്കണ്ഡേയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ആ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ ഉപദേശത്താൽ രാജാവ് വിസ്മയിച്ചു; തുടർന്ന് സത്യനിഷ്ഠനും മഹാബലവാനുമായ ആ നിശാചരനെ ആ രാത്രിയിൽ അദ്ദേഹം സ്മരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: कर्ता (Speaker/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: addressed, spoken to
• उक्तः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective of भूपालः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'having been told/addressed'

• तेन: by him
• तेन: कर्ता (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विप्रेण: by the brahmin
• विप्रेण: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• भूपालः: the king
• भूपालः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक: भू + पाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('protector of earth')

• विस्मितः: astonished
• विस्मितः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participial adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: काल (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• सस्मार: remembered, called to mind
• सस्मार: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महावीर्यम्: of great prowess
• महावीर्यम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य (प्रातिपदिक: महा + वीर्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय; विशेषण (of तम्)

• सत्यसन्धम्: true to his promise
• सत्यसन्धम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध (प्रातिपदिक: सत्य + सन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय; 'true to his vow'

• निशाचरम्: the night-roamer (demon)
• निशाचरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक: निशा + चर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष ('night-wanderer')

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya as narrator

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Memory as summons
• Supernatural aid in narrative
• Satya (truthfulness) even in non-human beings

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Truthfulness (satya) is portrayed as a potent virtue transcending species and social class; even a niśācara can be ‘satyasandha’ and thus reliable.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Upākhyāna; narrative tool introducing an agent to resolve plot, not a pancalakṣaṇa exposition.

What is the esoteric significance?

Remembrance functioning as invocation hints that focused mind (smṛti) can ‘call’ latent powers—psychologically, mobilizing inner resources; narratively, summoning an ally.