Shloka 55

इन्द्रद्युम्नोपाख्यानम्

Indradyumna Upākhyāna: On Kīrti, Smṛti, and Restoration

Devanagari script

ज्ञानानि चाप्यविज्ञाय करिष्यन्ति क्रियास्तथा । आत्मच्छन्देन वर्तन्ते युगान्ते समुपस्थिते,क्रियाके तत््वको न जानकर भी लोग उसे करनेमें प्रवृत्त होंगे। युगानन्‍्तकालके सभी मानव स्वेच्छाचारी हो जायँगे

Transliteration

jñānāni cāpy avijñāya kariṣyanti kriyās tathā | ātmacchandena vartante yugānte samupasthite ||

Translation

Маркандейя сказал: «Не постигнув истинных оснований знания, люди всё же будут поспешно совершать обряды и деяния. И когда приблизится конец века, люди станут жить по собственной прихоти — своевольно, без узды, равнодушные к внутреннему смыслу того, что творят».

Word by Word

• ज्ञानानि: knowledges/true principles
• ज्ञानानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अविज्ञाय: without knowing
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having not known

• करिष्यन्ति: they will do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• क्रियाः: actions/rites
• क्रियाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• आत्मच्छन्देन: by their own will/at their own pleasure
• आत्मच्छन्देन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मच्छन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वर्तन्ते: they behave/they conduct themselves
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• युगान्ते: at the end of the age
• युगान्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युगान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• समुपस्थिते: when (it) has arrived/has come
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Outer action (kriyā), including ritual, becomes ethically hollow when it is not grounded in understanding (jñāna). The verse warns that in an age of decline people will act from personal whim rather than from disciplined adherence to dharma and the inner meaning of conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing signs of yugānta (the end/degeneration of an age): people will continue performing actions and observances, yet without grasping their true purpose, and society will be marked by self-willed behavior and weakening of restraint.