Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 28, Shloka 16

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

तत्रैव वा गुरोर्गेहे द्विजो निष्ठामवाप्नुयात् ।

गुरोरभावे तत्पुत्रे तच्छिष्ये तత్సुतं विना ॥

Transliteration

tatraiva vā guror gehe dvijo niṣṭhām avāpnuyāt /

guror abhāve tatputre tacchiṣye tatsutaṃ vinā //

Translation

ସେଠାରେ—ସେଇ ଆଶ୍ରମରେ କିମ୍ବା ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ଗୃହରେ—ଦ୍ୱିଜ ନିଜ ଶିକ୍ଷା-ବ୍ରତର ଦୃଢ଼ ସମାପ୍ତି ଲାଭ କରୁ। ଗୁରୁ ଅନୁପସ୍ଥିତ ହେଲେ ଗୁରୁପୁତ୍ରଙ୍କ ଅଧୀନରେ, ତାହା ନ ଥିଲେ ଗୁରୁଶିଷ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଅଧୀନରେ—ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ ନ କରି—ସିଦ୍ଧି ପାଉ।

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• gehe: in the house
• gehe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• niṣṭhām: steadfastness/firm observance
• niṣṭhām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• avāpnuyāt: should attain
• avāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• abhāve: in (his) absence
• abhāve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Condition/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; भावे/सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute sense: 'in the absence')

• tat-putre: in his son
• tat-putre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya putre = in his son)

• tat-śiṣye: in his disciple
• tat-śiṣye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya śiṣye = in his disciple)

• tat-sutam: his son
• tat-sutam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya sutam)

• vinā: without
• vinā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वपद-निषेधार्थक (preposition-like indeclinable meaning 'without', governs accusative)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction narrative voice (contextual teacher-speaker within Markandeya Purana’s didactic discourse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Brahmacarya
• Guru-śiṣya tradition
• Vedic education

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Learning and discipline are safeguarded by legitimate mentorship. The text emphasizes continuity of authority (guru → son → disciple), discouraging self-authorized completion without recognized guidance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma material (ācāra) rather than the cosmological five. It is an example of Purāṇas functioning as Dharma-śāstra-like instruction within narrative frames.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘lineage of transmission’ symbolizes preservation of śruti/vidyā purity: knowledge ripens through humility and service, not merely personal effort.