Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 13

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

पुनर्दात् च कन्यायाः कृमिरेवोपजायते । देवता-पितृ-विप्राणामदत्वा योऽन्नमश्नुते ॥

Transliteration

punardāt ca kanyāyāḥ kṛmirevopajāyate / devatā-pitṛ-viprāṇāmadatvā yo 'nnamaśnute

Translation

Và kẻ ‘gả trao thiếu nữ lần nữa’ (tức vi phạm quy tắc đúng đắn của kanyā-dāna) quả thật sinh làm sâu. Ai ăn uống mà không dâng trước cho chư thiên, tổ tiên và các Bà-la-môn (mang tội—lời kinh còn tiếp sau dòng này).

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दात्: should give
• दात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य पाठभेद; अत्र 'दात्' = विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ्-लोपयुक्त रूपं (injunctive-like), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन/आज्ञार्थे प्रयोगः (let him give)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कन्यायाः: of the maiden/daughter
• कन्यायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• कृमिः: a worm
• कृमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• उपजायते: is born/arises
• उपजायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• देवता-पितृ-विप्राणाम्: of the deities, ancestors, and brahmins
• देवता-पितृ-विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (mixed group), षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• अदत्वा: without giving
• अदत्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: न (अव्यय-निषेध) + √दा (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) with negation sense: 'without giving'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अश्नुते: eats/consumes
• अश्नुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Not specified in input (didactic narration)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "śānta", "secondaryRasa": "bhayānaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Householder duties
• Ritual hospitality (offerings before eating)
• Marriage norms (kanyā-dāna)
• Karma and rebirth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse ties personal consumption and family rites to a larger economy of obligation: eating is framed as a sacrificial act requiring prior sharing (with gods, ancestors, and learned guests). It also flags marriage-gifting norms as dharmically regulated.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/ācāra instruction (gṛhastha conduct) rather than pancalakṣaṇa narrative material.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Not offering before eating’ symbolizes severing reciprocity with cosmic and ancestral orders; the ‘worm’ rebirth motif encodes spiritual diminishment into a life of mere consumption without higher orientation.