Shloka 21

Adhyāya 188: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of Yuga-Decline and the Restoration Motif

Kali-yuga to Kalki

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो मनुर्मत्स्यमनयद्‌ भगवान्‌ वशी । नदीं गड्डां तत्र चैनं स्वयं प्राक्षिपदच्युत:,मत्स्यके ऐसा कहनेपर जितेन्द्रिय, अपनी मर्यादासे कभी च्युत न होनेवाले भगवान्‌ मनुने उसे स्वयं ले जाकर गंगामें डाल दिया

Transliteration

evam ukto manur matsyam anayad bhagavān vaśī | nadīṁ gaṅgāṁ tatra cainaṁ svayaṁ prākṣipad acyutaḥ ||

Translation

马尔坎德耶说道：“既闻此言，自制而蒙福的摩奴携鱼而行，守其戒律与本分不移，亲手将它投于恒河之中。”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मत्स्यम्: the fish
• मत्स्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनयत्: led / took
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वशी: self-controlled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नदीम्: to the river
• नदीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गड्डाम्: a pit/pool (deep place)
• गड्डाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गड्डा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एनम्: him/it (that one)
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• प्राक्षिपत्: threw/cast (in)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, प्र

• अच्युतः: the unfailing one / Acyuta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अच्युत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Manu
• Matsya (the fish)
• Gaṅgā (river)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Disciplined compassion: one should respond to a vulnerable being’s request with care, yet act thoughtfully and responsibly, guided by self-control and dharma rather than impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the fish speaks and requests help, Manu personally takes it and places it into the river Gaṅgā, continuing his role as a careful protector in the unfolding Matsya narrative.