Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 43, Shloka 37

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

योगिनां ज्ञानविदुषामन्येषां च महात्मनाम् ।

प्राप्ते तु काले पुरुषस्तद्विज्ञेयं विचक्षणैः ॥

Transliteration

yogināṃ jñānaviduṣām anyeṣāṃ ca mahātmanām / prāpte tu kāle puruṣas tad vijñeyaṃ vicakṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

Kapag dumating na ang takdang panahon, ang isang tao ay (magpapakita ng pagwawalang-bahala) sa mga yogin, sa marurunong na may kaalaman, at sa iba pang dakilang-kalooban; ito’y dapat makilala ng may pag-unawa bilang palatandaan (ng wakas).

Word by Word

• yoginām: of yogins
• yoginām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• jñāna-viduṣām: of knowers of knowledge/the learned
• jñāna-viduṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानं विदन्ति ये)

• anyeṣām: of others
• anyeṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• mahātmanām: of great-souled ones
• mahātmanām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• prāpte: when (it) has arrived
• prāpte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), सप्तमी, एकवचन; लोकेटिव-अब्सोल्यूट (सप्तमी-सम्बन्धे): 'when (the time) has come'

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषण/विरोधार्थक-निपात

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (prāpte kāle) सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः

• puruṣaḥ: a man/person
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tad: that
• tad: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (vijñeyam इति सह)

• vijñeyam: is to be understood
• vijñeyam: Kriyā (क्रिया-विशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-jñā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे -य-प्रत्ययः: gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'to be known/understood'

• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: by the discerning/wise
• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Respect toward saints
• Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇa
• Discernment (viveka)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The wise are a living standard of dharma and inner truth. Turning against them is portrayed as a terminal symptom of inner disorder; the teaching values viveka—discerning observers can read moral collapse as existential peril.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary ethical-psychological teaching; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Disrespect to yogins/jñānins symbolizes rejection of higher consciousness. ‘Time has come’ (kāla) implies karmic inevitability: when the inner compass flips, the soul is nearing a decisive transition.