Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 96

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

Sanskrit

शान्तमश्वतरं नाम माननीयं दिवौकसाम् ।

रमणीयं ततोऽपश्यत् पातालं स नृपात्मजः ॥

Transliteration

śāntamaśvataraṃ nāma mānanīyaṃ divaukasām | ramaṇīyaṃ tato 'paśyat pātālaṃ sa nṛpātmajaḥ ||

Translation

Chàng biết về một người tên là Śāntamaśvatara, đáng được tôn kính ngay cả giữa những cư dân thiên giới. Sau đó, vị hoàng tử ấy chiêm ngưỡng Patala—một nơi thật vui mắt để ngắm nhìn.

Word by Word

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with अश्वतरम्

• अश्वतरम्: a mule (or horse-like creature)
• अश्वतरम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of implied ‘saw/encountered’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha/Naming (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable marker (नाम-शब्दः), ‘by name’

• माननीयम्: worthy of honor
• माननीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माननीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with अश्वतरम्; from √मान ‘to honor’ (णीयत्)

• दिवौकसाम्: of the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; ‘दिवि ओकः यस्य’ → ‘dwellers in heaven’

• रमणीयम्: delightful
• रमणीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रमणीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with पातालम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Sequence (काल/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• पातालम्: the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• नृपात्मजः: the king’s son
• नृपात्मजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नृपस्य आत्मजः’

Speakers

• Narrator voice (frame-speaker not identifiable from verses alone)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Pātāla as splendid realm
• Nāga kingship
• Honor beyond worlds

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Merit and honor are not confined to ‘heavenly’ planes; righteousness and nobility can exist in all realms, challenging simplistic hierarchies of purity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna/varṇana (narrative with description). No direct sarga/pratisarga/manvantara data appears here.

What is the esoteric significance?

Pātāla’s ‘delightfulness’ hints that the underworld is also a locus of refined energies; it can symbolize the richness of the inner world when approached with guidance.