Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 74, Shloka 60

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

नरः क्षान्तिः शान्तदान्तजानुजङ्घादयस्तथा ।

पुत्रास्तु तामसस्यासन् राजानः सुमहाबलाः ॥

Transliteration

naraḥ kṣāntiḥ śāntadāntajānujaṅghādayas tathā | putrās tu tāmasasyāsan rājānaḥ sumahābalāḥ ||

Translation

Sina Nara, Kṣānti, gayundin sina Śānta, Dānta, Jānu, Jaṅghā at iba pa ay mga anak ni Tāmasa; sila’y naging mga haring may napakadakilang lakas.

Word by Word

• नरः: Nara (a king/person named Nara)
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्षान्तिः: Kṣānti (a name; also ‘forbearance’)
• क्षान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शान्त: peaceful
• शान्त: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (कृदन्त; √शम् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासे पूर्वपद (as first member of compound)

• दान्त: self-controlled
• दान्त: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त (कृदन्त; √दम् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासे मध्यपद (as member of compound)

• जानु: knee
• जानु: Samasa-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपद (as member of compound)

• जङ्घ: shin/leg
• जङ्घ: Samasa-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जङ्घा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपद (as member of compound)

• आदयः: and others (beginning with …)
• आदयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’ (etc.)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• तामसस्य: of Tāmasa
• तामसस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to ‘पुत्राः’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सु: very
• सु: Samasa-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश पूर्वपद (intensifier ‘very’) in compound

• महा: great
• महा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् पूर्वपद/विशेषणपद in compound; ‘great’

• बलाः: strong/mighty
• बलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ‘राजानः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासान्तपद (final member)

Speakers

• Purāṇic narrator (frame not explicit in these verses); within manvantara narration

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Manvantara
• Genealogy
• Royal lineages

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reinforces the Purāṇic method of linking cosmic time (manvantaras) with ethical-political order: each Manu’s era is stabilized through progeny who become rulers. The names (Śānta, Dānta, Kṣānti) also echo virtues—calmness, restraint, forbearance—suggesting the ideal qualities that sustain kingship.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Manvantara (accounts of Manus and their periods) and Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita (genealogies and royal descendants).

What is the esoteric significance?

Virtue-names among the royal sons symbolically map inner disciplines onto outer governance: self-mastery (dama/dānta), peace (śānti/śānta), and endurance (kṣānti) become the ‘limbs’ (jānu/jaṅghā imagery) supporting the body politic.