Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 41

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

निकृत्या कञ्चनं नृणां कार्पण्यं च नृणां वधः । यानि च प्रतिषिद्धानि तत्प्रवृत्तिश्च सन्तता ॥

Transliteration

nikṛtyā kañcanaṃ nṛṇāṃ kārpaṇyaṃ ca nṛṇāṃ vadhaḥ / yāni ca pratiṣiddhāni tat-pravṛttiś ca santatā

Translation

Ang pandaraya upang maagaw ang ginto ng tao, kasakiman at pagkakuripot, pagpatay sa kapwa, at anumang ipinagbabawal na gawain—lalo na kung palagiang ginagawa—ay dapat kilalaning mabibigat na kasalanan.

Word by Word

• निकृत्या: deceit/treachery
• निकृत्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कञ्चनम्: gold
• कञ्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कार्पण्यम्: miserliness/pettiness
• कार्पण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वधः: killing/slaughter
• वधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रतिषिद्धानि: forbidden/prohibited
• प्रतिषिद्धानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-√षिध् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तत्-प्रवृत्तिः: engagement in those (acts)
• तत्-प्रवृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सन्तता: continuous/unbroken
• सन्तता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Non-violence
• Honesty and economic ethics
• Habitual sin (repetition as aggravating factor)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Beyond single acts, the text highlights ‘santatā pravṛtti’—habitual persistence in wrongdoing—as especially damaging, implying that character formation is central to karmic outcome.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction; not pancalakṣaṇa content.

What is the esoteric significance?

Repetition (santatā) indicates saṃskāra-building: sustained vice creates deep grooves in consciousness, making liberation-oriented disciplines progressively harder.