Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 26, Shloka 23

Adhyaya 26 — Madālasa Names Alarka and Reorients Him Toward Kshatriya Duty

Sanskrit

यदि संव्यवहारार्थमसन्नाम प्रकल्प्यते /

नाम्नि कस्मादलर्काख्ये नैरर्थ्यं भवतो मतम्

Transliteration

yadi saṃvyavahārārtham asan-nāma prakalpyate | nāmni kasmād alarkākhye nairarthyaṃ bhavato matam ||

Translation

“Nếu một danh xưng không thật được đặt ra vì mục đích giao tiếp thế gian, thì vì sao, đối với danh xưng ‘Alarka’, ngài lại không xem đó là ‘vô nghĩa’?”

Word by Word

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

• saṃvyavahārārtham: for the sake of practical usage
• saṃvyavahārārtham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃ-vyavahāra-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः: saṃvyavahāra + artha (purpose of transaction/usage)

• asat: unreal, non-existent
• asat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• prakalpyate: is posited/constructed
• prakalpyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kḷp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive: 'is posited/constructed')

• nāmni: in the name (as a designation)
• nāmni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• kasmāt: from what? why?
• kasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• alarka-ākhye: in (the designation) called ‘Alarka’
• alarka-ākhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alarka-ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः: alarka + ākhya ('called Alarka')

• nairarthyam: meaninglessness
• nairarthyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairarthya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhavataḥ: of you/your
• bhavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग (honorific 'your')

• matam: opinion, view
• matam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mata (प्रातिपदिक; √man 'to think' से निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (opinion)

Speakers

• Likely the King responding/raising a question to Mādālasā (dialogic objection)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Pragmatics of language
• Conventional designation
• Philosophical consistency (pūrvapakṣa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse introduces a rational challenge: if all names are conventional, none should claim intrinsic ‘meaning.’ It models reflective inquiry rather than blind acceptance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A dialogic philosophical interlude; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The objection highlights the two-level doctrine: language is necessary for transactions yet inadequate for ultimate truth. The tension itself is pedagogical, pushing the listener to discriminate (viveka).