HomeMarkandeya PuranaAdhy. 8Shloka 135
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Shloka 135

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

पापिष्ठमशुभं कर्म कुरु त्वं पापकाकरक ।

हरिश्चन्द्रः पुरा राजा विश्वामित्रेण पुक्कसः ॥

pāpiṣṭham aśubhaṃ karma kuru tvaṃ pāpakāraka |

hariścandraḥ purā rājā viśvāmitreṇa pukkasaḥ ||

“अत्यन्तपापं त्वमशुभं कर्म करोषि, दुष्कृतिन्! पुरा विश्वामित्रेण राजा हरिश्चन्द्रः पुक्कसत्वं नीतः।”

pāpiṣṭhammost sinful
pāpiṣṭham:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootpāpiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक; superlative of pāpa)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); superlative (तमप्) used adjectivally
aśubhaminauspicious/evil
aśubham:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootaśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
karmaact/deed
karma:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
kurudo
kuru:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Command)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada
tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormSecond-person pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
pāpa-kārakaO doer of sin
pāpa-kāraka:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
TypeNoun
Rootpāpa-kāraka (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + कारक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास (‘pāpaṃ karoti’/‘pāpasya kārakaḥ’)
hariścandraḥHariścandra
hariścandraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Roothariścandra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
purāformerly
purā:
Kāla (काल/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpurā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय) ‘formerly/once’
rājāking
rājā:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
viśvāmitreṇaby Viśvāmitra
viśvāmitreṇa:
Karaṇa (करण/Agent-instrument; by Viśvāmitra)
TypeNoun
Rootviśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
pukkasaḥa Pukkasa (outcaste)
pukkasaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootpukkasa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
Brāhmaṇas (addressing/condemning an offender; embedded narrative voice)

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

DharmaSocial and moral consequencesPower of curse/ascetic authorityExemplary legend (Hariścandra)

FAQs

Adharma is not merely private wrongdoing; it can precipitate loss of dignity, status, and wellbeing. The text reinforces that arrogance toward the righteous invites consequences as severe as social ruin and suffering.

Not a direct pancalakṣaṇa unit; it is didactic narrative (vaṃśānucarita-like exemplum) used to ground dharma teaching in remembered tradition.

‘Becoming pukkasa’ can be read as the soul’s fall into tamasic identity when truth and humility are abandoned—an inward exile mirrored outwardly as degradation.