Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 17

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

मया नृशंस्यं कर्तव्यं नोपकार्यपकारि च ।

या मदर्थे 'त्यजत प्राणांस्तदर्थे 'ल्पमिदं मम ॥

Transliteration

mayā nṛśaṃsyaṃ kartavyaṃ nopakāryapakāri ca / yā madarthe 'tyajat prāṇāṃs tadarthe 'lpam idaṃ mama

Translation

Kailangan kong gawin kahit ang isang mabagsik na gawa, na hindi “pagtulong sa tumutulong” ni “pananakit sa hindi nananakit”: siya na nag-alay ng buhay para sa akin—kung ihahambing doon, ang sa akin ay maliit lamang na handog.

Word by Word

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nṛśaṃsyam: cruelty
• nṛśaṃsyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛśaṃsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kartavyam: to be done / should be done
• kartavyam: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेयविशेषण/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: Gerundive/Obligative (तव्यत्-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• upakāri: one who helps / benefactor
• upakāri: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upakārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively

• apakāri: one who harms / wrongdoer
• apakāri: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apakārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used substantively

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यत्-सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• madarthe: for my sake
• madarthe: Nimitta/Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): mad (मद्=मम) + artha (अर्थ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• atyajat: gave up / abandoned
• atyajat: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन) with preverb ati- (अति-)

• prāṇān: life-breaths / life
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tadarthe: for that purpose / for her sake
• tadarthe: Nimitta/Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: tad (तद्) + artha (अर्थ); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• alpam: small / little
• alpam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (इदम्-सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Implied internal monologue of Ṛtadhvaja

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma conflict
• Reciprocity (ṛṇa)
• Self-sacrifice
• Moral injury

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames self-sacrifice as repayment of an existential debt: when another has died for you, your own life appears a small offering. Yet it also admits the act may be ‘nṛśaṃsa’—suggesting awareness that dramatic reciprocity can violate other dharmas.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative (vaṃśānucarita-type). The purāṇic method is to explore dharma through emotionally charged dilemmas rather than abstract rule.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘debt’ is not only social but karmic: the psyche seeks equilibrium. The verse exposes the bind where egoic honor masquerades as virtue, requiring discernment (viveka) to separate dharma from compulsion.