Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 8, Shloka 169

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

शवानां मूल्यकरणे पुनर्नष्टस्मृतिर्यथा ।

मलिनो जटिलः कृष्णो लकुटी विह्वलो नृपः ॥

Transliteration

śavānāṃ mūlyakaraṇe punar naṣṭasmṛtir yathā / malino jaṭilaḥ kṛṣṇo lakuṭī vihvalo nṛpaḥ

Translation

ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੇ ਖਰੀਦ-ਫਰੋਖ਼ਤ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੱਗਿਆਂ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਯਾਦ ਫਿਰ ਮਿਟ ਗਈ। ਮੈਲਾ, ਜਟਾਧਾਰੀ, ਸਿਆਹ ਰੰਗ, ਗਦਾ ਧਾਰਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਉਹ ਰਾਜਾ ਮੋਹਿਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਕੰਬਣ ਲੱਗ ਪਿਆ।

Word by Word

• शवानाम्: of corpses
• शवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मूल्यकरणे: in the act of pricing/valuation
• मूल्यकरणे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य-करण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मूल्यस्य करणम्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नष्टस्मृतिः: one whose memory is lost / lost memory
• नष्टस्मृतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नष्ट-स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमाविभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नष्टा स्मृतिः)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• मलिनः: dirty, soiled
• मलिनः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जटिलः: matted-haired
• जटिलः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृष्णः: black/dark
• कृष्णः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लकुटी: club-bearing
• लकुटी: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लकुटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; -इन् प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (लकुटधारी)

• विह्वलः: distraught, bewildered
• विह्वलः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrative voice

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Smṛti-nāśa (loss of memory/identity)
• Cremation-ground imagery
• Impermanence of royalty
• Degradation and grief

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Identity rooted in power and memory is fragile; when kingship is lost, even self-recognition collapses—warning against pride and urging grounding in enduring dharma rather than role/status.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: a narrative demonstration of impermanence and karmic reversal, not a cosmological/genealogical register.

What is the esoteric significance?

Corpse-commerce and matted hair evoke śmaśāna symbolism: confrontation with death strips social masks; ‘loss of memory’ hints at avidyā—forgetting one’s true nature—intensified by tamas (darkness).