Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 19

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

ऋतध्वज उवाच यदि सा मम तन्वङ्गी न स्याद्भार्या मदालसा ।

अस्मिन् जन्मनि नान्या मे भवित्री सहचारिणी ॥

Transliteration

ṛtadhvaja uvāca yadi sā mama tanvaṅgī na syād bhāryā madālasā / asmin janmani nānyā me bhavitrī sahacāriṇī

Translation

Ṛtadhvaja nói: Nếu Madālasā, người có thân hình mảnh mai ấy, không phải là vợ ta, thì trong đời này không một người nữ nào khác sẽ là bạn đời của ta.

Word by Word

• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Ṛtadhvaja
• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtadhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-अव्यय)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (तद्-सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mama: my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tanvaṅgī: slender-limbed
• tanvaṅgī: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tanu-aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: tanu (तनु=slender) + aṅgī (अङ्गी=limbed); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• madālasā: Madālasā
• madālasā: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madālasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); proper name

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun (इदम्-सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• janmani: birth / life
• janmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• anyā: another (woman)
• anyā: Pratishedhya-karta (प्रतिषेध्यकर्ता/Negated subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• me: of me / my
• me: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavitrī: will be / is to be (as)
• bhavitrī: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (धातु) + tṛ (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: Agent noun (तृन्-कृदन्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sahacāriṇī: companion
• sahacāriṇī: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saha-cāriṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: saha (सह=with) + cāriṇī (चारिणी=companion); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Ṛtadhvaja (explicit)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Marital fidelity
• Satya (truthfulness)
• Pativratā ideal (by reflection)
• Vow

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates exclusive commitment as a dharmic ideal: the husband mirrors the wife’s famed steadfastness by declaring a one-consort principle (in this birth), grounding it in satya (truthfulness).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita-type moral portrait: a ruler’s vows and conduct are narrated to exemplify dharma.

What is the esoteric significance?

Single-pointedness in relationship parallels single-pointedness in sādhana: the mind that does not scatter among alternatives is portrayed as capable of firm resolve.