Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 27

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

Sanskrit

पत्रोर्णं चोरयित्वा तु क्रकरत्वञ्च गच्छति ।

कोषकारश्च कौषेयॆ हृते वस्त्रेऽभिजायते ॥

Transliteration

patrorṇaṃ corayitvā tu krakaratvañ ca gacchati | koṣakāraś ca kauṣeye hṛte vastre 'bhijāyate

Translation

ପତ୍ରୋର୍ଣ୍ଣ (ପତ୍ର-ତନ୍ତୁରେ ତିଆରି ବସ୍ତ୍ର) ଚୋରି କଲେ କ୍ରକର ନାମକ ପକ୍ଷୀ ହୁଏ; ଏବଂ ରେଶମୀ ବସ୍ତ୍ର ଚୋରି କଲେ କୋଷକାର—ରେଶମ କୀଟ—ଯୋନିରେ ଜନ୍ମେ।

Word by Word

• patra-ūrṇam: patrorṇa (a kind of fibre/cloth)
• patra-ūrṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; 'leaf-wool'/silk-like fibre), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• corayitvā: having stolen
• corayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cur (धातु) [चोरयति] + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (Causative stem), क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेषार्थ (emphasis)

• krakara-tvam: the state of being a krakara (a kind of bird)
• krakara-tvam: Karma (कर्म; attained state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krakara (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (भाव/अवस्था)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-प्रत्यय (state/condition)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• gacchati: goes/attains
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• koṣa-kāraḥ: a cocoon-maker (silkworm)
• koṣa-kāraḥ: Pratipādya/Phala (फल; resultant state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'cocoon-maker'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• kauṣeye: in silk (cloth)
• kauṣeye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauṣeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• hṛte: when (it is) stolen
• hṛte: Kāla/Hetu (काल/हेतु; when/if stolen)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + क्त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), सप्तमी-तुल्ये लोके (locative-absolute sense)

• vastre: in a garment/cloth
• vastre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• abhijāyate: is born (as)
• abhijāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु) उपसर्ग: abhi-
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma
• Ethics
• Household conduct

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Clothing is tied to dignity and social standing; stealing it violates personal security. The silkworm rebirth is a pointed “like-for-like” consequence: one who steals silk becomes the producer bound to spinning and cocooning.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/ritual-social instruction (dharma) rather than cosmic genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

Garments can symbolize persona/identity. Theft of garments implies appropriation of another’s ‘covering’; the result is rebirth in forms associated with feathers/fibres/cocoons—becoming literally bound in coverings.