Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)
मार्कण्डेय उदाच धर्मान्तरं प्रति कथां कथ्यमानां मया नृप । सर्वपापहरां नित्यं शृणुष्वावहितो मम,मार्कण्डेयजी बोले--राजन्! अब मैं धर्मसम्बन्धी दूसरी बातें बता रहा हूँ, जो सदा सब पापोंका नाश करनेवाली हैं। तुम सावधान होकर सुनो
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca dharmāntaraṃ prati kathāṃ kathyamānāṃ mayā nṛpa | sarvapāpaharāṃ nityaṃ śṛṇuṣvāvahito mama ||
Markandeya berkata: “Wahai raja, kini akan aku tuturkan suatu wacana lain tentang dharma. Ia sentiasa berupaya menghapuskan segala dosa. Dengarlah aku dengan sepenuh perhatian.”
युधिछिर उवाच
The verse emphasizes attentive listening to dharma-instruction, presenting dharma as a continual purifier that removes sin when heard and internalized with concentration.
Markandeya addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and signals a transition to a new section of dharma-related teaching, asking him to listen carefully to the forthcoming discourse.