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Shloka 26

Adhyaya 6Balarama’s Dilemma, Drunken Wanderings in Revata’s Grove, and the Slaying of the Suta

कृष्णाजिनोत्तरीयेषु कुशेषु च वृषीषु च ।

सूतञ्च तेषां मध्यस्थं कथयानं कथाः शुभाः ॥

kṛṣṇājinottarīyeṣu kuśeṣu ca vṛṣīṣu ca / sūtañ ca teṣāṃ madhyasthaṃ kathayānaṃ kathāḥ śubhāḥ

وہ کُش کے آسنوں اور چٹائیوں پر بیٹھے تھے، سیاہ ہرن کی کھال کا اوپری کپڑا اوڑھے ہوئے؛ اور درمیان میں سوت کو بٹھا کر اس سے مبارک حکایات سنوا رہے تھے۔

कृष्ण-अजिन-उत्तरीयेषुon black-deerskin upper garments
कृष्ण-अजिन-उत्तरीयेषु:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अजिन (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तरीय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष ("कृष्णाजिनस्य उत्तरीयम्"; locative plural: on/among black-deerskin upper garments)
कुशेषुon kuśa grass (seats)
कुशेषु:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootकुश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
and
:
समुच्चय (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक
वृषीषुon seats/stools
वृषीषु:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootवृषी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
and
:
समुच्चय (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक
सूतम्the Sūta (bard)
सूतम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootसूत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
and
:
समुच्चय (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
मध्यस्थम्standing/sitting in the middle
मध्यस्थम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootमध्यस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सूतम्)
कथयानम्narrating/telling
कथयानम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeAdjective
Rootकथय् (धातु) → कथयान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formशतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), परस्मैपद-प्रयोग; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying सूतम्)
कथाःstories
कथाः:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootकथा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
शुभाःauspicious
शुभाः:
विशेषण (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कथाः)
Narratorial description within the broader Markandeya Purana frame (not a Devi Mahatmyam battle address)

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

Purāṇic narrationTransmission of dharma and loreRitual decorum (āsana, kuśa, mṛga-carma)Sūta tradition

FAQs

The verse emphasizes the sanctified setting and disciplined culture of learning: sacred seating (kuśa), ascetic simplicity (antelope-skin wrap), and the centrality of a qualified transmitter (Sūta) for preserving and communicating dharmic, auspicious narratives.

Indirectly supportive rather than a direct pancalakṣaṇa unit: it frames the mode of transmission of Purāṇic material (the ‘how’ of Purāṇa delivery). It does not itself present sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita content, but introduces the narrative environment in which such topics are recited.

Symbolically, kuśa denotes ritual purity and continuity with Vedic sacrifice; kṛṣṇājina evokes brahmacarya/ṛṣi-discipline and insulation from worldly distraction; placing the Sūta in the middle suggests the ‘center’ as the seat of śruti-smṛti remembrance—where auspicious speech (śubha-kathā) harmonizes the assembly.