Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 44, Shloka 9

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

यथैकमर्थे यातानामेकस्मिन्नवसीदति ।

दुःखं भवति साधूनां ततास्माकं महीपते ॥

Transliteration

yathaika-marthe yātānām ekasminn avasīdati / duḥkhaṃ bhavati sādhūnāṃ tatāsmākaṃ mahīpate

Translation

“Gaya ng mga naglalakbay para sa iisang layunin: kapag ang isa’y nanghihina o natitisod, nagiging dalamhati iyon para sa mabubuti—gayon din sa amin, O hari.”

Word by Word

• यथा: as/just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; 'one' (अर्थे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अर्थे: in/for a purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• यातानाम्: of those who have gone
• यातानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) 'gone'; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• एकस्मिन्: in one (of them)
• एकस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; 'in one (person/place)'

• अवसीदति: fails/sinks down
• अवसीदति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अव-; अर्थ: 'sinks/fails'

• दुःखम्: sorrow/pain
• दुःखम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• भवति: arises/is
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• साधूनाम्: of the good/virtuous
• साधूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• तत्: therefore/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय-निर्देशक (correlative particle) 'therefore/that' (पद्ये)

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• अस्माकम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• महीपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• महीपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: मही + पति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Subāhu speaking to Kāśirāja

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Compassion
• Collective responsibility
• Ethics of friendship/kinship
• Spiritual solidarity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Virtue is relational: the ‘good’ do not remain indifferent when a companion declines; compassion motivates corrective action rather than judgment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction (ācāra/nīti) in narrative form; not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘single purpose’ hints at a shared dharmic trajectory; when one consciousness ‘sinks,’ it disturbs the harmony of the whole—an implicit teaching on saṅga (association) and its power.