Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 49

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

Sanskrit

परितापञ्च गात्रेभ्यः पीडाबाधाश्च कृत्स्नशः ।

अपहन्ति नरव्याघ्र यदां कुरु महीपते ॥

Transliteration

paritāpañ ca gātrebhyaḥ pīḍābādhāś ca kṛtsnaśaḥ | apahanti naravyāghra yadāṃ kuru mahīpate ||

Translation

ହେ ନରବ୍ୟାଘ୍ର, ହେ ଭୂପତି! ଆପଣ ଏଠାରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ରହିଲେ ଆମ ଅଙ୍ଗମାନଙ୍କୁ ଦାହବେଦନା ଓ ସମସ୍ତ କ୍ଲେଶତାପ ଛାଡ଼ିଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• परितापम्: burning pain, torment
• परितापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• गात्रेभ्यः: from the limbs
• गात्रेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), बहुवचन; Ablative plural (from)

• पीडा: pain
• पीडा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (subject, part of compound-like coordination)

• बाधाः: afflictions
• बाधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely, completely
• कृत्स्नशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/परिमाण-वाचक; adverb = 'entirely, wholly'

• अपहन्ति: remove, drive away
• अपहन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person plural

• नरव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• नरव्याघ्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; कर्मधारयः = 'man who is a tiger'

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; temporal adverb 'when'

• कुरु: O Kuru (king)
• कुरु: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular (addressing a Kuru king)

• महीपते: O lord of the earth
• महीपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Vocative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'lord of the earth'

Speakers

• Beings undergoing torment (collective) addressing the king

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Puṇya as protective force
• Compassionate kingship
• Karmic alleviation
• Naraka imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is presented as concretely beneficial: righteousness has tangible effects—here, the alleviation of others’ suffering—highlighting the king’s role as a bearer of collective welfare.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative reinforcing dharma and karmaphala; not a pañcalakṣaṇa cosmological/genealogical unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘cooling’ of torment suggests the pacification (śamana) of inner fires (krodha, tṛṣṇā) through contact with sattvic presence.