Shloka 18

Adhyaya 1 — Jaimini's Questions

Sanskrit

इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः ।

दशाष्टदोषरहितो वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे ॥

Transliteration

iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā mārkaṇḍeyo māhamuniḥ / daśāṣṭadoṣarahito vaktuṃ samupacakrame

Translation

ఆ మాటలు విని అష్టాదశ దోషరహితుడైన మహర్షి మార్కండేయుడు పలకడం ప్రారంభించాడు।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vacaḥ: speech, words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), ‘having heard’

• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Markandeya
• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahāmuniḥ: the great sage
• mahāmuniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् मुनिः’

• daśāṣṭadoṣarahitaḥ: free from the eighteen faults
• daśāṣṭadoṣarahitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa + aṣṭa + doṣa + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः—‘दशाष्ट-दोषैः रहितः’ (free from the ten and eight faults)

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), ‘to speak’

• samupacakrame: began, set about
• samupacakrame: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-√kram (क्रम् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speakers

• Narrator describing Markandeya beginning his response (frame dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sagehood and qualification of the speaker
• Scriptural discourse (pravacana) framing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text foregrounds the ethical qualification of the teacher: true instruction is ideally received from a speaker disciplined in speech and conduct, here signaled by being ‘free from the eighteen faults’—a traditional marker of reliable, non-harmful, and truthful discourse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is primarily part of the Purāṇic frame (upodghāta) rather than a direct instance of the pañcalakṣaṇa topics (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It functions as a narrative hinge introducing the authoritative exposition that may later contain those elements.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Freedom from eighteen faults’ symbolically presents the sage as a purified instrument of śruti-smṛti wisdom: speech becomes a disciplined channel rather than ego-driven expression, implying that the forthcoming teaching is meant to be received as dharmic revelation rather than mere opinion.