Shloka 45

Adhyaya 76 — The Sixth Manvantara: Cakshusha Manu, the Child-Snatcher, and the Problem of Kinship

Sanskrit

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तो ब्रह्मणा सोऽपि तथेत्युक्त्वा महामतिः ।

तत्कर्माभिमुखो यातस्तपसो विरराम ह ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityukto brahmaṇā so 'pi tathetyuktvā mahāmatiḥ / tatkarmābhimukho yātas tapaso virarāma ha

Translation

ମାର୍କଣ୍ଡେୟ କହିଲେ—ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଏଭଳି କହିବା ପରେ ସେ ମହାମନା “ଏବମସ୍ତୁ” ବୋଲି ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲେ; ନିୟତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତି ମୁଖ କରି ସେ ତପ ଛାଡ଼ିଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Mārkaṇḍeya
• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-सूचक (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been told
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• tathā: so / thus
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so)

• iti: (saying) thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-सूचक

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (great-minded)

• tat-karma-abhimukhaḥ: intent on that task
• tat-karma-abhimukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक) + abhimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (tat-karma = that task) + तत्पुरुष (karmaṇi abhimukhaḥ = facing/intent on the task)

• yātaḥ: went
• yātaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (past participle, intransitive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tapasaḥ: from austerity
• tapasaḥ: Apādāna/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• virarāma: desisted / ceased
• virarāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ram (धातु) उपसर्गः vi-
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/वृत्तान्त-सूचक (emphatic narrative particle)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating (to his listener in the Purāṇa’s frame)

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Obedience to divine ordinance
• Dharma of office
• Tapas vs pravṛtti (engagement)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Spiritual maturity includes readiness to redirect one’s practice when higher dharma calls; tapas is not rejected but integrated into service.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative glue within manvantara: it moves from appointment to the functioning historical/cosmic account of that Manu’s period.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘turning toward karma’ signifies a yogic pivot from inward heat to outward order—still guided by the same pursuit of liberation.