Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 27, Shloka 31

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

पालनेनैव भूतानां कृतकृत्यो महीपतिः ।

सम्यक् पालयिता भागं धर्मस्याप्नोति यत्नतः ॥

Transliteration

pālanenaiva bhūtānāṃ kṛtakṛtyo mahīpatiḥ / samyak pālayitā bhāgaṃ dharmasyāpnoti yatnataḥ

Translation

Sa pamamagitan lamang ng pag-iingat sa mga nilalang na may buhay, natupad ng panginoon ng lupain ang kanyang tungkulin. Ang sinumang nagtatanggol nang wasto, na may pagsisikap, ay nagkakamit ng bahagi sa dharma (kanyang gantimpalang-bisa).

Word by Word

• पालनेन: by protection; by ruling
• पालनेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/अव्यय (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• भूतानाम्: of beings; of creatures
• भूतानाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृतकृत्यः: one who has fulfilled his duty
• कृतकृत्यः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समास: कृतं कृत्यं येन/यस्य सः (कर्मधारय)

• महीपतिः: the king; lord of the earth
• महीपतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समास: मही + पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सम्यक्: properly; rightly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पालयिता: protector; ruler
• पालयिता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालयितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• भागम्: a share; portion
• भागम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मस्य: of dharma; of righteousness
• धर्मस्य: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आप्नोति: attains; obtains
• आप्नोति: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• यत्नतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्नतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), क्रियाविशेषण

Speakers

• Madālasā to Alarka

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Protection (pālana)
• Rājadharma
• Merit
• Kingship ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The essence of kingship is guardianship: when protection is just and diligent, the ruler participates in dharma’s merit as a direct fruit of service.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical governance teaching; complements vaṃśānucarita ideals of kings but is not itself sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa-focused.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Protection of beings’ can be internalized as protecting the ‘beings’ (faculties, tendencies) within; right inner governance yields a ‘share of dharma’—stability and clarity.