Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 29

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

Sanskrit

कार्पासिके हृते क्रौञ्चो वल्कहर्ता बकस्तथा ।

मयूरो वर्णकान् हृत्वा शाकपत्रं च जायते ॥

Transliteration

kārpāsike hṛte krauñco vālkahartā bakas tathā | mayūro varṇakān hṛtvā śākapatraṃ ca jāyate

Translation

ਕਪਾਹ ਦੇ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਦੀ ਚੋਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ ਕ੍ਰੌਂਚ (ਸਾਰਸ/ਬਗਲੇ ਵਰਗਾ ਪੰਛੀ) ਬਣ ਕੇ ਜੰਮਦਾ ਹੈ। ਵਲਕਲ (ਛਾਲ-ਵਸਤ੍ਰ) ਚੁਰਾਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਬਕ (ਬਗਲਾ) ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ। ਰੰਗ/ਰੰਜਕ ਦ੍ਰਵ ਚੁਰਾਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਮੋਰ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਸਾਗ-ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ਚੁਰਾਣ ਵਾਲਾ ‘ਸ਼ਾਕਪਤ੍ਰ’ ਨਾਮਕ ਜੀਵ ਬਣਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• kārpāsike: in/with cotton (cloth)
• kārpāsike: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārpāsika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adhikaraṇa (location/condition) sense

• hṛte: when (it is) taken/stolen
• hṛte: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; used absolutely with kārpāsike (locative absolute)

• krauñcaḥ: a crane (krauñca bird)
• krauñcaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauñca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vālka-hartā: one who steals bark/cloth
• vālka-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālka (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vālkaṃ harati iti) agent-noun

• bakaḥ: a heron/crane (baka)
• bakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: baka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable; particle/adverb (अव्यय-निपात) meaning ‘also/likewise’

• mayūraḥ: a peacock
• mayūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• varṇakān: dyes/colors
• varṇakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• hṛtvā: having stolen/taken
• hṛtvā: Kriyā (क्रिया; pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा); expresses prior action

• śāka-patram: a leaf of vegetables/greens
• śāka-patram: Karta (कर्ता; resultant form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śākasya patram)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• jāyate: is born/becomes
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; intransitive ‘is born/becomes’

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma
• Ethics
• Material desire

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Taking what sustains others—food, clothing, and means of livelihood (dyes, materials)—is treated as serious adharma. The rebirths emphasize living by foraging and display (peacock for dyes/colors), mirroring the thief’s motivations.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/karma-vipāka instruction; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Colors/dyes relate to outward appearance and pride; peacock-form symbolizes vanity and display. Bark-cloth theft (associated with ascetic life) suggests profaning simplicity, leading to a predatory/standing-wait bird symbol (heron) for opportunism.