Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 27, Shloka 26

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

मारुतः सर्वभूतेषु निगूढश्चरते यथा ।

एवं नृपश्चरेच्चारैः पौरामात्यादिबन्धुषु ॥

Transliteration

mārutaḥ sarvabhūteṣu nigūḍhaś carate yathā / evaṃ nṛpaś carec cāraiḥ paurāmātyādibandhuṣu

Translation

Như gió ẩn mình mà vẫn chuyển động giữa mọi loài, nhà vua cũng nên vận hành qua mạng lưới do thám giữa dân thành thị, các đại thần, và cả thân quyến cùng bằng hữu, đồng minh.

Word by Word

• मारुतः: wind
• मारुतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वभूतेषु: in all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषु भूतेषु)

• निगूढः: hidden
• निगूढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-गूढ (कृदन्त; √गुह्/गूह् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• चरते: moves, goes about
• चरते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative ‘as/just as’)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चरेत्: should move/act
• चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विध्यर्थः (should)

• चारैः: with spies
• चारैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पौरामात्यादिबन्धुषु: among citizens, ministers, and other kinsmen
• पौरामात्यादिबन्धुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर-अमात्य-आदि-बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन; समासः समाहार-द्वन्द्वः/द्वन्द्वः (पौराश्च अमात्याश्च आदयश्च बन्धवश्च)

Speakers

• Madālasā instructing Alarka (within Pitā–Putra Saṃvāda frame)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Governance
• Ethics
• Statecraft

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Governance requires unobtrusive vigilance: the ruler should know conditions in every social layer (citizens, ministers, even kin) without becoming oppressive; knowledge is protection when used for dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Dharma/Ācāra material rather than the five cosmological markers; it aligns loosely with Vaṃśānucarita insofar as it teaches ideal royal conduct within dynastic narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

The 'wind' metaphor suggests a subtle, all-pervading awareness: the king’s discerning intelligence should be present everywhere yet remain unseen, avoiding egoic display while sustaining order.