Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 73

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

न्यासापहारिणो बद्धाः सर्वगात्रेषु बन्धनैः ।

कृमिवृश्चिककाकोलैर्भुज्यन्तेऽहर्निशं नराः ॥

Transliteration

nyāsāpahāriṇo baddhāḥ sarvagātreṣu bandhanaiḥ / kṛmivṛścikakākolair bhujyante 'harniśaṃ narāḥ

Translation

Ang mga nagnanakaw ng ipinagkatiwalang deposito ay ginagapos ng mga tanikala sa lahat ng kanilang mga bahagi ng katawan, at nilalapa araw at gabi ng mga uod, alakdan, at mga nilalang na kumakain ng bangkay.

Word by Word

• nyāsa-apahāriṇaḥ: those who steal deposits/trusts
• nyāsa-apahāriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + apa-hārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘न्यासस्य अपहारी’ (deposit-stealer)

• baddhāḥ: bound
• baddhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — विशेषण/विधेय
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate participle

• sarva-gātreṣu: on all limbs
• sarva-gātreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘सर्वेषु गात्रेषु’

• bandhanaiḥ: with fetters/bonds
• bandhanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṛmi-vṛścika-kākolaiḥ: by worms, scorpions, and crows
• kṛmi-vṛścika-kākolaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛścika (प्रातिपदिक) + kākola (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (copulative)

• bhujyante: are eaten/consumed
• bhujyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ahar-niśam: day and night
• ahar-niśam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahar (प्रातिपदिक) + niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; adverbial ‘day and night’ (continuously)

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — apposition to nyāsāpahāriṇaḥ
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt.

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Trust and fiduciary ethics
• Theft
• Karmaphala
• Naraka (hell) imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Nyāsa is sacred trust; violating it attacks the social fabric. The punishment emphasizes total restraint and constant harm, mirroring the pervasive damage caused by betrayal of confidence.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/karmic instruction (dharma/karmaphala) rather than the five cosmological lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

Worms and scorpions symbolize corrosive guilt and the ‘poison’ of deceit that consumes the betrayer from within; bonds on every limb indicate loss of freedom through unethical gain.