Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 78

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

Sanskrit

बिभ्रत् क्लेशमवाप्नोति जनमार्गेऽतिपीडितः ।

क्षुत्क्षामोऽहर्निशं भारपीडाव्यथितमस्तकः ॥

Transliteration

bibhrat kleśam avāpnoti janamārge 'tipīḍitaḥ / kṣutkṣāmo 'harniśaṃ bhārapīḍāvyathitamastakaḥ

Translation

Habang pasan ito, siya ay nakararanas ng paghihirap, labis na nahihirapan sa pampublikong daan—nangangayat sa gutom araw at gabi, ang kanyang ulo ay sumasakit mula sa bigat ng pasan.

Word by Word

• बिभ्रत्: bearing/carrying
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अतिपीडितः)

• क्लेशम्: pain/torment
• क्लेशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains/undergoes
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जन-मार्गे: on the public road
• जन-मार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जनानां मार्गः)

• अति-पीडितः: severely oppressed
• अति-पीडितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग) + √पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षुत्-क्षामः: emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्-क्षामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• अहः-निशम्: day and night
• अहः-निशम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहः (प्रातिपदिक) + निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: day and night)

• भार-पीडा-व्यथित-मस्तकः: whose head is pained by the burden’s pressure
• भार-पीडा-व्यथित-मस्तकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक) + पीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यथित (प्रातिपदिक; from √व्यथ्) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (यस्य मस्तकं भारपीडया व्यथितम्)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt; likely continuation of the prior verse’s karmic result.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karmaphala
• Consequences of arrogance
• Suffering and humiliation imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The fruit of prideful learning is portrayed as public, continuous humiliation and hardship: when one rejects proper discipline and reverence, one’s ‘knowledge’ becomes a load carried in suffering.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/karmaphala instruction; not a direct cosmological lakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘public road’ indicates exposure of inner fault; the burden represents accumulated ego (ahaṅkāra) and unprocessed karma, producing ceaseless hunger (lack) and head-pain (mental strain).