Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 26

Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty

Sanskrit

करोषि किमिदं मूढे ! ममाभावाय सन्ततेः ।

दुष्टावबोधदानेन यथापूर्वं सुतेषु मे ॥

Transliteration

karoṣi kim idaṃ mūḍhe! mamābhāvāya santateḥ / duṣṭāvabodha-dānena yathāpūrvaṃ suteṣu me //

Translation

“Ikaw na hangal, ano itong ginagawa mo—ikaw ba’y nagdudulot ng pagkalipol ng aking angkan? Sa pagbibigay mo ng baluktot na tagubiling ito, gaya ng ginawa mo noon sa aking mga anak na lalaki!”

Word by Word

• करोषि: you do/make
• करोषि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातु: कृ

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• मूढे: O deluded one
• मूढे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; personal pronoun

• अभावाय: for (my) non-existence/destruction
• अभावाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन

• सन्ततेः: of progeny/lineage
• सन्ततेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• दुष्ट-अवबोध-दानॆन: by giving wicked instruction/understanding
• दुष्ट-अवबोध-दानॆन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अवबोध (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुष्टस्य अवबोधः) + तत्पुरुष (अवबोधस्य दानम्)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/रीति-अर्थे (as/just as)

• पूर्वम्: formerly, before
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (formerly/before)

• सुतेषु: among/with the sons
• सुतेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic form

Speakers

• Jaḍa (husband/king) addressing Queen Madālasā (within the embedded narrative)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Householder/royal duty
• Lineage and social order
• Ethical instruction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames a dharmic tension: renunciatory teaching given prematurely to heirs can undermine worldly responsibilities (rāja-dharma, family continuity). The critique is not of knowledge itself, but of mis-timed instruction that disrupts prescribed stages and duties.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily falls under Vaṃśa/Anucarita (dynastic/narrative instruction) rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara. It is an ethical-illustrative episode embedded in the Purāṇic narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

Symbolically, ‘perverse instruction’ indicates knowledge divorced from adhikāra (readiness). True teaching must match the recipient’s stage; otherwise, it becomes a force of ‘dissolution’ (pralaya) within social and personal order.