Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 110

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

क्षुधाविष्टास्ततो लीकास्ताश्च चण्डालयोनयः ।

अभ्यधावन्त चान्योन्यमत्तुकामाः परस्परम् ॥

Transliteration

kṣudhāviṣṭās tato līkās tāś ca caṇḍāla-yonayaḥ / abhyadhāvanta cānyonyam attu-kāmāḥ parasparam

Translation

अथ क्षुधार्ताः ता यूकाः ते च चाण्डालजाः परस्परं समभिद्रवन्, अन्योन्यं भक्षयितुमिच्छन्तः।

Word by Word

• क्षुधाविष्टाः: seized by hunger
• क्षुधाविष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा-आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कृदन्त—PPP ‘आविष्ट’ (seized) from आ-विश् (धातु); समासः—तत्पुरुष: क्षुधया आविष्टाः (seized by hunger)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (then/thereupon)

• लीकाः: lice
• लीकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ताः: those (f.)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चण्डालयोनयः: Caṇḍāla-born (ones)
• चण्डालयोनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल-योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास

• अभ्यधावन्त: ran towards
• अभ्यधावन्त: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्योन्यम्: at each other / mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (used adverbially: “each other”)

• अत्तुकामाः: desiring to eat
• अत्तुकामाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्तु-काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष: अत्तुम् (infinitive of अद्) + काम (desirous)

• परस्परम्: one another
• परस्परम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Consequences of disorder
• Hunger as a driver of violence
• Mythic moral psychology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Unchecked craving (kṣudhā) turns beings against each other. The verse moralizes appetite as a force that dissolves social bonds and produces mutual harm.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary narrative illustrating dharma through exemplum; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mutual devouring symbolizes tamasic self-consumption: when desire rules, the system collapses into cannibalistic competition—an inner allegory for uncontrolled senses.