Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 20, Shloka 16

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

मर्त्यलोके परा प्रीतिर्भवतोः केन पुत्रकौ ।

सहेति पप्रच्छ पिता तावुभौ नागदारकौ ॥

Transliteration

martyaloke parā prītir bhavatoḥ kena putrakau |

saheti papraccha pitā tāv ubhau nāga-dārakau ||

Translation

“ਮਰਤ ਲੋਕ ਵਿੱਚ, ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਪੁੱਤਰੋ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਦੋਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਕਿਸ ਦੇ ਕਾਰਨ ਐਸਾ ਅਦਭੁਤ ਸਨੇਹ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ?”—ਇਉਂ ਕਹਿ ਕੇ ਪਿਤਾ ਨੇ ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੋ ਜਵਾਨ ਨਾਗਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ।

Word by Word

• मर्त्यलोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मर्त्यानां लोकः’

• परा: supreme, great
• परा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रीतिः)

• प्रीतिः: affection
• प्रीतिः: Karta (कर्ता; subject of implied ‘asti’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवतोः: of you two
• भवतोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific pronoun)

• केन: by what (cause)
• केन: Karana (करण/Instrument; ‘by what cause/means’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• पुत्रकौ: O dear sons
• पुत्रकौ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative), द्विवचन; स्नेह-सूचक (endearing)

• सह: together
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative content)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with, together)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पिता: the father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karma (कर्म; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तौ)

• नाग-दारकौ: the two serpent-boys
• नाग-दारकौ: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to तौ उभौ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग + दारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘नागस्य दारकौ’

Speakers

• Nāga father (questioning) within the story; narrative frame unspecified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Parental inquiry
• Cross-world relationship (Martya-loka and Pātāla)
• Attachment as observable behavior

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse sets up discernment: elders question the causes of intense attachments, especially when they lead one away from one’s proper sphere (nāga youths drawn to the human realm).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna/Upākhyāna (didactic story) rather than a pancalakṣaṇa core topic.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Martya-loka’ symbolizes the field of change and desire; the father’s question is the awakening of viveka (discrimination) toward what binds consciousness to transient realms.