Sāvitrī–Satyavān Vivāha: Kanyāpradāna and Āśrama-Śīla (सावित्री-सत्यवान्विवाहः)
मारीचश्चिन्तयामास विशिष्टान्मरणं वरम्
mārīcaś cintayāmāsa viśiṣṭān maraṇaṁ varam
มาริจะครุ่นคิดในใจว่า สำหรับผู้สูงศักดิ์และประเสริฐแล้ว ความตายย่อมประเสริฐกว่า
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
The verse highlights an ethical ideal: for those who value dharma and honor, an honorable death can be preferable to living through moral compromise, humiliation, or ignoble conduct.
Markaṇḍeya reports Mārīca’s inner deliberation: he weighs his situation and concludes that, for a noble person, choosing death may be the better course than continuing under dishonor.