Shloka 2

मातापितृपूजन-प्रधानधर्मः (Primacy of Filial Service) — Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of the Vyādha’s Instruction

Devanagari script

अतिष्ठदेकपादेन कृशो धमनिसंततः । तस्मै ब्रह्मा ददौ प्रीतो वरं वव्रे स च प्रभुम्‌,वह दीर्घकालतक एक पैरसे खड़ा रहा। उसका शरीर इतना दुर्बल हो गया कि नस- नाड़ियोंका जाल दिखायी देने लगा। ब्रह्माजीने उसकी तपस्यासे संतुष्ट होकर उसे वर दिया। धुन्धुने भगवान्‌ ब्रह्मासे इस प्रकार वर माँगा--

Transliteration

atiṣṭhad ekapādena kṛśo dhamanisaṃtataḥ | tasmai brahmā dadau prīto varaṃ vavre sa ca prabhum ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Mārkaṇḍeya: Matagal siyang tumindig sa iisang paa, hanggang sa siya’y mangayayat at luminaw ang sapot ng kaniyang mga ugat. Nalugod si Brahmā sa gayong austeridad at ipinagkaloob sa kaniya ang isang biyaya; at siya, lumapit sa Panginoon, ay pumili ng hihilinging biyaya.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'atiṣṭhat', 'definition': 'stood

• remained standing (imperfect of √sthā with ati-)'}, {'term': 'ekapādena', 'definition': 'on one foot

• with a single foot (instrumental singular)'}, {'term': 'kṛśaḥ', 'definition': 'emaciated, lean, wasted'}, {'term': 'dhamani', 'definition': 'vein/artery

• a tubular vessel in the body'}, {'term': 'saṃtataḥ', 'definition': 'stretched out, spread, extended

• forming a network'}, {'term': 'tasmai', 'definition': 'to him (dative singular)'}, {'term': 'brahmā', 'definition': 'Brahmā, the creator-god'}, {'term': 'dadau', 'definition': 'gave, granted (perfect of √dā)'}, {'term': 'prītaḥ', 'definition': 'pleased, satisfied'}, {'term': 'varam', 'definition': 'a boon, gift, granted favor'}, {'term': 'vavre', 'definition': 'chose/asked for (perfect middle of √vṛ)'}, {'term': 'prabhum', 'definition': 'the Lord, master

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brahmā

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights tapas (austerity) and steadfast self-discipline as forces that can win divine attention; it also implicitly cautions that boons arise from power gained through restraint, so the ethical weight lies in how that boon is later used.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure performs severe penance by standing on one foot until he becomes extremely thin; Brahmā, pleased, offers a boon, and the ascetic then proceeds to request a specific favor from the deity.