Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 27, Shloka 12

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

तस्मात् कामादयः पूर्वं जेयाः पुत्र ! महीभुजा ।

तज्जये हि जयोऽवश्यं राजा नश्यति तैर्जितः ॥

Transliteration

tasmāt kāmādayaḥ pūrvaṃ jeyāḥ putra! mahībhujā /

tajjaye hi jayo 'vaśyaṃ rājā naśyati tair jitaḥ

Translation

ਇਸ ਲਈ, ਹੇ ਪੁੱਤਰ, ਰਾਜੇ ਨੂੰ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਕਾਮ ਆਦਿ ਦੋਸ਼ਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜਿੱਤਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਜਿੱਤ ਲਏ ਜਾਣ ਤਾਂ ਜਿੱਤ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੈ; ਪਰ ਜੇ ਰਾਜਾ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਹਾਰ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਨਾਸ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘therefore/from that’

• कामादयः: desire and the rest
• कामादयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘kāma etc.’ (ādi = ‘and others’)

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘first/previously’

• जेयाः: must be conquered
• जेयाः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेयविशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be conquered’

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महीभुजा: by the king
• महीभुजा: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by the earth-holder’ = king

• तत्: in that
• तत्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (in compound sense with jaye)

• जये: in their conquest
• जये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in victory/when (they are) conquered’

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (reason/emphasis)

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘certainly/inevitably’

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नश्यति: perishes
• नश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• जितः: having been conquered
• जितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘conquered’

Speakers

• Didactic instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s nīti/rājadharma discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Kingship
• Inner Enemies (ariṣaḍvarga)
• Self-mastery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text equates ethical self-governance with political success: conquering inner compulsions secures outer stability; being ruled by them guarantees downfall.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/nīti instruction; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The king symbolizes the conscious self; ‘victory’ is integration and clarity. When desire and allied impulses dominate, sovereignty is lost—an inner allegory consistent with yogic psychology.