Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 8, Shloka 169

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

शवानां मूल्यकरणे पुनर्नष्टस्मृतिर्यथा ।

मलिनो जटिलः कृष्णो लकुटी विह्वलो नृपः ॥

Transliteration

śavānāṃ mūlyakaraṇe punar naṣṭasmṛtir yathā / malino jaṭilaḥ kṛṣṇo lakuṭī vihvalo nṛpaḥ

Translation

Habang siya’y nagtatakda ng halaga at nakikipagkalakalan sa mga bangkay, muling naglaho ang kanyang alaala. Ang hari—marumi, gusot at buhaghag ang buhok, nangingitim ang anyo, may hawak na pamalo—ay nalito at nayanig sa pagkalito.

Word by Word

• शवानाम्: of corpses
• शवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• मूल्यकरणे: in the act of pricing/valuation
• मूल्यकरणे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य-करण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मूल्यस्य करणम्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नष्टस्मृतिः: one whose memory is lost / lost memory
• नष्टस्मृतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नष्ट-स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमाविभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नष्टा स्मृतिः)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• मलिनः: dirty, soiled
• मलिनः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जटिलः: matted-haired
• जटिलः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृष्णः: black/dark
• कृष्णः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• लकुटी: club-bearing
• लकुटी: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लकुटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; -इन् प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (लकुटधारी)

• विह्वलः: distraught, bewildered
• विह्वलः: विशेषण (Qualifier of नृपः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrative voice

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Smṛti-nāśa (loss of memory/identity)
• Cremation-ground imagery
• Impermanence of royalty
• Degradation and grief

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Identity rooted in power and memory is fragile; when kingship is lost, even self-recognition collapses—warning against pride and urging grounding in enduring dharma rather than role/status.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: a narrative demonstration of impermanence and karmic reversal, not a cosmological/genealogical register.

What is the esoteric significance?

Corpse-commerce and matted hair evoke śmaśāna symbolism: confrontation with death strips social masks; ‘loss of memory’ hints at avidyā—forgetting one’s true nature—intensified by tamas (darkness).