Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 16, Shloka 81

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

Sanskrit

यथा भर्तृसमं नान्यमपश्यं पुरुषं क्वचित् ।

रूपतः शीलतो बुद्ध्या वाङ्माधुर्य्यादिभूषणैः ॥

Transliteration

yathā bhartṛ-samaṃ nānyam apaśyaṃ puruṣaṃ kvacit /

rūpataḥ śīlato buddhyā vāṅ-mādhuryy-ādi-bhūṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

(Nàng nói:) “Ta chưa từng thấy ở bất cứ nơi đâu một người nam nào sánh bằng phu quân ta—dù về dung mạo, đức hạnh, trí tuệ, hay những ‘trang sức’ như lời nói ngọt hòa và các phẩm tính tương tự.”

Word by Word

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), comparative/conjunctive adverb (यथार्थ/उपमान)

• bhartṛ-samam: equal to (my) husband
• bhartṛ-samam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष ‘equal to (my) husband’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• anyam: another (man)
• anyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• apaśyam: I saw
• apaśyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• puruṣam: man, person
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• kvacit: anywhere, ever
• kvacit: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (देश/काल)

• rūpataḥ: in appearance
• rūpataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) formed with -tas (तस्) taddhita; adverb ‘in respect of form’

• śīlataḥ: in character
• śīlataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) with -tas (तस्); adverb ‘in respect of conduct’

• buddhyā: by intellect; in intellect
• buddhyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāk-mādhurya-ādi-bhūṣaṇaiḥ: with ornaments like sweetness of speech, etc.
• vāk-mādhurya-ādi-bhūṣaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + mādhurya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष—‘with ornaments such as sweetness of speech etc.’

Speakers

• Likely the Brāhmaṇī/wife (contextual continuation from surrounding verses)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Marital devotion
• Truthful praise
• Qualities as ornaments (guṇa-bhūṣaṇa)
• Emotional sincerity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents guṇas (virtues) as the true ‘ornaments’ of a person and underscores loyalty grounded in perceived excellence, not merely social obligation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Character-focused narrative (vaṃśānucarita/upākhyāna style) serving dharma pedagogy; not a pancalakṣaṇa core.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘sweetness of speech’ and allied virtues indicate sattva; devotion to sattvic qualities is portrayed as a force that can invoke truth-power (satya) in the next verse.