Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 110

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

क्षुधाविष्टास्ततो लीकास्ताश्च चण्डालयोनयः ।

अभ्यधावन्त चान्योन्यमत्तुकामाः परस्परम् ॥

Transliteration

kṣudhāviṣṭās tato līkās tāś ca caṇḍāla-yonayaḥ / abhyadhāvanta cānyonyam attu-kāmāḥ parasparam

Translation

Pagkaraan, dahil sa matinding gutom, ang mga kutong iyon at ang mga nilalang na isinilang sa caṇḍāla ay nagsalakay sa isa’t isa, bawat isa’y nagnanais kainin ang kapwa.

Word by Word

• क्षुधाविष्टाः: seized by hunger
• क्षुधाविष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा-आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कृदन्त—PPP ‘आविष्ट’ (seized) from आ-विश् (धातु); समासः—तत्पुरुष: क्षुधया आविष्टाः (seized by hunger)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम् (then/thereupon)

• लीकाः: lice
• लीकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ताः: those (f.)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चण्डालयोनयः: Caṇḍāla-born (ones)
• चण्डालयोनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल-योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास

• अभ्यधावन्त: ran towards
• अभ्यधावन्त: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्योन्यम्: at each other / mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (used adverbially: “each other”)

• अत्तुकामाः: desiring to eat
• अत्तुकामाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्तु-काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष: अत्तुम् (infinitive of अद्) + काम (desirous)

• परस्परम्: one another
• परस्परम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "bibhatsa", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Consequences of disorder
• Hunger as a driver of violence
• Mythic moral psychology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Unchecked craving (kṣudhā) turns beings against each other. The verse moralizes appetite as a force that dissolves social bonds and produces mutual harm.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary narrative illustrating dharma through exemplum; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mutual devouring symbolizes tamasic self-consumption: when desire rules, the system collapses into cannibalistic competition—an inner allegory for uncontrolled senses.