Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 16, Shloka 10

Adhyaya 16 — The Son’s Counsel on Renunciation and the Anasuya–Mandavya Episode: The Suspension of Sunrise and the Power of Pativrata

Sanskrit

अविद्याकृष्णसर्पेण दष्टं तद्विषपीडितम् ।

स्ववाक्यामृतपानेन मां जीवय पुनर्मृतम् ॥

Transliteration

avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa daṣṭaṃ tad-viṣa-pīḍitam |

sva-vākyāmṛta-pānena māṃ jīvaya punar-mṛtam ||

Translation

Con bị con rắn đen của vô minh cắn, lại bị chất độc của nó đè nặng. Xin làm cho con—kẻ gần như đã chết—sống lại bằng cách cho con uống cam lộ từ lời của Ngài.

Word by Word

• avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa: by the black serpent of ignorance
• avidyā-kṛṣṇa-sarpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; कर्मधारय: “the black serpent (which is) ignorance” (avidyā as appositional qualifier)

• daṣṭam: bitten
• daṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daṃś (दंश्, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying mām

• tad-viṣa-pīḍitam: afflicted by that poison
• tad-viṣa-pīḍitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त; √pīḍ, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: “afflicted by its poison” (viṣa-pīḍita) with tad- as pronominal determiner

• sva-vākya-amṛta-pānena: by the drinking of the nectar of your words
• sva-vākya-amṛta-pānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: “by the drinking of the nectar of your own words”

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• jīvaya: revive/bring to life
• jīvaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (जीव्, धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) base jīvaya-; Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यम-पुरुष), Singular

• punar: again
• punar: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनर्-अव्यय) “again”

• mṛtam: dead
• mṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛ (मृ, धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying mām: “dead”

Speakers

• Father addressing son

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Avidyā
• Antidote of knowledge
• Guru’s speech as amṛta
• Spiritual rebirth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ignorance is not neutral but toxic; the cure is liberating knowledge transmitted through right teaching and receptive listening.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Mokṣa-upadeśa (instruction on liberation), not a pañcalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘serpent’ image evokes subtle, hidden danger: avidyā works invisibly through habitual identification; ‘amṛta’ is the taste of deathlessness—recognition of the unchanging witness.