Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 19, Shloka 17

Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise

Sanskrit

तथोन्मार्गप्रवृत्तस्य चास्तु सन्मार्गदेशकः ।

सन्तु मेऽतिथयः श्लाघ्या वित्तदाने तथाक्षये ॥

Transliteration

tathonmārgapravṛttasya cāstu sanmārgadeśakaḥ /

santu me 'tithayaḥ ślāghyā vittadāne tathākṣaye

Translation

Và nếu con lỡ bước theo đường tà, xin có người chỉ cho con con đường chánh. Nguyện cho khách đến nhà con đáng được tán dương; và của cải để bố thí của con cũng được vô tận.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• उन्मार्ग-प्रवृत्तस्य: of one who has gone astray
• उन्मार्ग-प्रवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उन्मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवृत्त (कृदन्त, प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (उन्मार्गे प्रवृत्तः) — “of one who has turned to the wrong path”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/benedictive sense (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• सन्-मार्ग-देशकः: a teacher of the right path
• सन्-मार्ग-देशकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्/सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + देशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (सन्मार्गस्य देशकः)

• सन्तु: let there be
• सन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/benedictive sense (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic

• अतिथयः: guests
• अतिथयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• श्लाघ्याः: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; विशेषण of ‘अतिथयः’

• वित्त-दाने: in giving wealth
• वित्त-दाने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (वित्तस्य दानम्) — “in giving wealth”

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अक्षये: in inexhaustibility / in undiminishing (state)
• अक्षये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; “in (times of) non-decay/inexhaustibility”

Speakers

• Kārtavīrya speaking (to Dattātreya)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya
• Kārtavīrya Arjuna

Key Themes

• Self-correction
• Satsanga/wise counsel
• Atithi-dharma
• Dāna (charity)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even a powerful ruler asks for safeguards: moral course-correction, good company, and resources for generosity. Kingship is presented as stewardship requiring humility and continual guidance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita with dharma-instruction embedded: the narrative uses a king’s boon-request to teach rājadharma and gṛhastha-style virtues (atithi, dāna).

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘sanmārga-deśaka’ functions like the inner conscience or guru-principle; ‘praiseworthy guests’ symbolizes the arrival of dharmic opportunities, and ‘akṣaya dāna’ the ever-renewing merit stream.