Mahabharata 3.201.82 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 82

Dharma-vyādha’s Analysis of Moral Decline and the Mahābhūta–Guṇa Schema (धर्मव्याधोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डेय उदाच वाक्‌शौचं कर्मशौचं च यच्च शौचं जलात्मकम्‌ | त्रिभि: शौचैरुपेतो यः स स्वर्गी नात्र संशय:

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca—vāk-śaucaṁ karma-śaucaṁ ca yac ca śaucaṁ jalātmakam | tribhiḥ śaucair upeto yaḥ sa svargī nātra saṁśayaḥ ||

Translation

ମାର୍କଣ୍ଡେୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ୍! ଶୌଚ ତିନି ପ୍ରକାର—ବାକ୍‌ଶୌଚ (ବାଣୀର ପବିତ୍ରତା), କର୍ମଶୌଚ (କ୍ରିୟାର ପବିତ୍ରତା) ଏବଂ ଜଲାତ୍ମକ ଶୌଚ (ଜଳଦ୍ୱାରା ଦେହଶୁଦ୍ଧି)। ଯେ ଏହି ତିନି ଶୌଚରେ ଯୁକ୍ତ, ସେ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗର ଅଧିକାରୀ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Markandeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• वाक्-शौचम्: purity of speech
• वाक्-शौचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्शौच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म-शौचम्: purity of action
• कर्म-शौचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मशौच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यत्: which/that
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शौचम्: purity/cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• जल-आत्मकम्: consisting of water (i.e., water-based)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जलात्मक
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: by/with three
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शौचैः: with purities/cleanlinesses
• शौचैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• उपेतः: endowed with/possessed of
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-इ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वर्गी: destined for heaven / heaven-going
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्गिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Svarga (heaven)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that true purity is threefold: disciplined and truthful speech (vāk-śauca), righteous and clean conduct in actions (karma-śauca), and physical cleanliness maintained through water (jala-śauca). Possessing all three is presented as a complete ethical-spiritual qualification leading to heavenly merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Yudhiṣṭhira’s conversation with the sage Mārkaṇḍeya in the Vana Parva, the sage instructs the king on dharma by defining ‘śauca’ (purity) and its practical forms, linking inner moral discipline with outward cleanliness and describing its फल (result) as attainment of Svarga.