Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

मयारिशातनं कार्यं राज्ञः शुश्रूषणं पितुः ।

जीवितं तस्य चायत्तं सन्त्याज्यं तत्कथं मया ॥

Transliteration

mayāriśātanaṃ kāryaṃ rājñaḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṃ pituḥ / jīvitaṃ tasya cāyattaṃ santyājyaṃ tat kathaṃ mayā

Translation

ମୋତେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଶତ୍ରୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ନାଶ କରିବାକୁ ହେବ; ରାଜାଙ୍କୁ ସେବା କରିବାକୁ ହେବ; ପିତାଙ୍କୁ ପରିଚର୍ଯ୍ୟା କରିବାକୁ ହେବ। ମୋ ପ୍ରାଣ ସେଥିରେ ନିର୍ଭର—ତେବେ ମୁଁ କିପରି ତାହା ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବି?

Word by Word

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ari-śātanam: destroying enemies
• ari-śātanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + śātana (प्रातिपदिक; √śāt/√śad? denom. 'to destroy')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अरिणां शातनम् = 'destruction of enemies')

• kāryam: must be done
• kāryam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ धातु, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण ('to be done/required')

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• śuśrūṣaṇam: service/attendance
• śuśrūṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuśrūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √śru धातु, desiderative sense)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pituḥ: of (my) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• āyattam: dependent (on him)
• āyattam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyatta (प्रातिपदिक; ā+√yam/√yat)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण — 'dependent/subject to'

• santyājyam: to be abandoned
• santyājyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-tyājya (कृदन्त; sam+√tyaj धातु, यत्/ण्यत् gerundive)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be completely abandoned')

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• katham: how?
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (how?)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

Speakers

• Implied internal monologue of Ṛtadhvaja

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Svadharma
• Kshatriya duty
• Filial duty
• Conflict of obligations

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Life is treated as an instrument for dharma: one should not discard it when responsibilities to king, father, and social order remain. The verse articulates a dharma-based argument against grief-driven suicide.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction embedded in narrative (vaṃśānucarita-type), not a pañcalakṣaṇa cosmological segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘enemies’ can be read inwardly as passions and despair; the call to ‘ariśātana’ becomes the yogic imperative to overcome inner adversaries rather than yield to them.