Shloka 31

Adhyāya 188: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of Yuga-Decline and the Restoration Motif

Kali-yuga to Kalki

Devanagari script

नौश्व कारयितव्या ते दृढा युक्तवटारका । तत्र सप्तर्षिभि: सार्थमारुहेथा महामुने,“आपको एक मजबूत नाव बनवानी चाहिये, जिसमें (मजबूत) रस्सी जुटी हो। महामुने! फिर आप सप्तर्षियोंके साथ उस नावपर बैठ जाइये

Transliteration

nauśvā kārayitavyā te dṛḍhā yuktavaṭārakā | tatra saptarṣibhiḥ sārtham āruhethā mahāmune ||

Translation

ਮਾਰਕੰਡੇਯ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਤੂੰ ਇੱਕ ਮਜ਼ਬੂਤ ਨੌਕਾ ਬਣਵਾਏਂ, ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਗੜੀਆਂ ਰੱਸੀਆਂ ਠੀਕ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਜੁੜੀਆਂ ਹੋਣ। ਹੇ ਮਹਾਮੁਨੀ, ਫਿਰ ਸੱਤ ਰਿਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਸਮੇਤ ਉਸ ਨੌਕਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਚੜ੍ਹ ਜਾ।

Word by Word

• नौः: a boat
• नौः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कारयितव्या: is to be caused to be made / should be made
• कारयितव्या: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कारयितव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Causative gerundive (णिच् + तव्यत्), Passive sense (obligation)

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Dative, Singular

• दृढा: firm, strong
• दृढा: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• युक्त: fitted, furnished with
• युक्त: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle

• वटारका: with strong ropes/cables (rigging)
• वटारका: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वटारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there, in that place/then
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)

• सप्तर्षिभिः: with the seven sages
• सप्तर्षिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सार्थम्: together, in company
• सार्थम्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्थम् (अव्यय)

• आरुहेथाः: you should mount/board
• आरुहेथाः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• मार्कण्डेय (Mārkaṇḍeya)
• सप्तर्षि (Saptarṣi / Seven Ṛṣis)
• नौ (boat)
• वटारका (ropes/cables)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes prudent preparation and disciplined action under wise guidance: when facing overwhelming danger, one should take practical protective measures and act in harmony with the counsel of realized sages.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya instructs a great sage to commission a strong, well-equipped boat and to board it together with the Seven Ṛṣis—an explicit directive for safeguarding life and preserving sacred knowledge in the face of an impending calamity.