Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 70, Shloka 36

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

अन्यजन्मनि कस्यापि विप्रयोगः कृतो मया ।

सोऽयं ममाप्युपगतः को दोषोऽस्य महात्मनः ॥

Transliteration

anyajanmani kasyāpi viprayogaḥ kṛto mayā / so 'yaṃ mamāpy upagataḥ ko doṣo 'sya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

“Sa ibang kapanganakan, ako ang naging sanhi ng pagkakahiwalay ng isang tao. Ang bunga ng karma ring iyon ay dumating na ngayon sa akin. Anong kasalanan ang mayroon sa dakilang taong ito?”

Word by Word

• anya-janmani: in another birth
• anya-janmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः): अन्यं जन्म यस्मिन्

• kasya: of someone
• kasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; interrogative pronoun used as relative/indefinite with api

• api: even/indeed/any
• api: N/A (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating indefiniteness/emphasis

• viprayogaḥ: separation
• viprayogaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Bhava (भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viprayoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kṛtaḥ: done/caused
• kṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत-प्रत्ययान्त/क्त), Masculine, Nominative Singular; agrees with viprayogaḥ

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण) / Agent-in-passive (कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• saḥ: that (he/it)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ayam: this (very one)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• api: also
• api: N/A (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• upagataḥ: has come/has befallen
• upagataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + gam (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative Singular; predicate of saḥ ayam

• kaḥ: what?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (in question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative

• doṣaḥ: fault
• doṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (in question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; in apposition to kaḥ

• asya: of this (man)
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled one
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; कर्मधारय-समास: महाः आत्मा यस्य

Speakers

• King (reflecting on karma; within Markandeya’s narration)

Key Themes

• Karma and retribution
• Personal responsibility
• Justice tempered by insight
• Dharma of rulership

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse articulates karmic reciprocity: harm done to others (here, causing separation) returns to the agent. Ethically, it discourages scapegoating the innocent and urges self-scrutiny before judging others.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Manvantara (narrative situated in a manvantara framework) and Dharma-śikṣā through itihāsa-style exemplum; not a sarga/pratisarga passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

Separation (viprayoga) symbolizes the soul’s self-made alienation from harmony; the ‘return’ of the act indicates the inescapable mirroring law of action and consequence, urging inner purification rather than outward blame.