Shloka 9

Mṛtyvaṣṭaka of Mārkaṇḍeya: Refuge in Viṣṇu and the Withdrawal of Death

Devanagari script

मृत्य्वष्टकमिदं पुण्यं मृत्युप्रशमनं शुभम् / मार्कण्डेयहितार्थाय स्वयं विष्णुरुवाच ह

Transliteration

mṛtyvaṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ mṛtyupraśamanaṃ śubham / mārkaṇḍeyahitārthāya svayaṃ viṣṇuruvāca ha

Translation

Ang banal na ‘Mṛtyvaṣṭaka’ na ito’y mapagpala, mapalad, at nagpapayapa sa kamatayan. Para sa kapakanan ni Mārkaṇḍeya, si Viṣṇu mismo ang nagpahayag nito.

Word by Word

• मृत्य्वष्टकम्: the Mṛtyu-aṣṭaka (eight-verse hymn on death)
• मृत्य्वष्टकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः अष्टकम् = death-octet)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: meritorious; holy
• पुण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मृत्युप्रशमनम्: the pacification of death
• मृत्युप्रशमनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + प्रशमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्योः प्रशमनम्)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मार्कण्डेयहितार्थाय: for the welfare/purpose of Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयहितार्थाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय + हित + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः (मार्कण्डेयस्य हितार्थः) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; प्रयोजन-द्योतक दत्तिः

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Agent-emphasis/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः/स्वतः (emphatic adverb)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (वच्/वचने)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/निश्चय/कथन-प्रत्ययार्थक निपातः (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A divinely revealed hymn (Mṛtyvaṣṭaka) carries merit and auspicious power to pacify death; divine compassion acts for the devotee’s welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa within Purāṇic revelation; grace expressed as upadeśa (teaching) that becomes a protective sādhanā.

Application: Treat the hymn as a disciplined practice: memorize, recite with faith, and pair with a life of devotion; use during illness, fear, and on auspicious days.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: stotra/vrata passages promising mṛtyu-śamana and protection; Narratives of Markandeya’s devotion and longevity motifs

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Markandeya
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of Mṛtyvaṣṭaka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the Mṛtyvaṣṭaka as a sacred, merit-giving set of eight verses specifically intended to pacify the force of death and bring auspiciousness, presented with divine authority as spoken by Viṣṇu.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing the post-death journey directly, it introduces a protective recitation meant to reduce fear and adversity connected with death—implying that spiritual remedies and devotion are part of Garuda Purana’s death-related teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a devotional, reflective recitation for cultivating steadiness in the face of mortality—pairing remembrance of Viṣṇu with ethical living to support auspiciousness and inner fearlessness.