Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 71

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

शरणागतान् यस्त्यजति लोभाद् वृत्त्युपजीविनः ।

सोऽप्येवं यन्त्रपीडाभिः पीड्यते यमकिङ्करैः ॥

Transliteration

śaraṇāgatān yastyajati lobhād vṛttyupajīvinaḥ / so 'pyevaṃ yantrapīḍābhiḥ pīḍyate yamakiṅkaraiḥ

Translation

Kẻ vì lòng tham mà bỏ rơi những người đã tìm đến nương tựa—những người sống nhờ vào hắn—thì kẻ ấy cũng bị các sứ giả của Diêm Vương hành hạ bằng các dụng cụ tra tấn.

Word by Word

• śaraṇa-āgatān: those who have sought refuge
• śaraṇa-āgatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āgata (धातु-जन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘शरणम् आगताः’ (उपपद-समास/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tyajati: abandons
• tyajati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• lobhāt: out of greed
• lobhāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); हेतौ (cause)

• vṛtti-upajīvinaḥ: dependents living by (his) livelihood/support
• vṛtti-upajīvinaḥ: Karma (कर्म) — apposition to śaraṇāgatān
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + upajīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘वृत्त्या उपजीवन्ति ये’ (उपपद-समास)

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

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• yantra-pīḍābhiḥ: by tortures of instruments
• yantra-pīḍābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yantra (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘यन्त्रेण/यन्त्रस्य पीडा’

• pīḍyate: is tormented
• pīḍyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada form

• yama-kiṅkaraiḥ: by Yama’s servants
• yama-kiṅkaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + kiṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘यमस्य किङ्कराः’

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (didactic narration).

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Protection of the vulnerable
• Śaraṇāgati ethics
• Karmaphala
• Naraka (hell) imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Granting refuge creates a moral bond; betraying it for greed is a grave violation. The Purāṇic ethic treats the dependent/refugee as a protected category, and abandonment as violence by omission.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction (dharma/karmaphala) embedded within the Purāṇic narrative framework rather than the five cosmological lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Yantras’ (devices) symbolize mechanized, cold-hearted calculation—greed turning relationships into instruments. The torment by instruments reflects the instrumentalization of people.