Shloka 8

स्कन्दोपाख्यानम् — उत्पातशान्तिः, स्वाहारूपविचारः, कौमारमङ्गलक्रियाः

Devanagari script

वृद्धावृचतु: उत्तिष्ठीत्तिष्ठ धर्मज्ञ धर्मस्त्वामभिरक्षतु । प्रीतो स्वस्तव शौचेन दीर्घमायुरवाप्रुहि,तब बूढ़े माता-पिताने (स्नेहपूर्वक) कहा--बेटा! उठो! उठो! तुम धर्मके जानकार हो, धर्म तुम्हारी सब ओरसे रक्षा करे। हम दोनों तुम्हारे शुद्ध आचार-विचार तथा सेवासे बहुत प्रसन्न हैं। तुम्हारी आयु बड़ी हो

Transliteration

vṛddhāv ūcatuḥ—uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha dharmajña dharmas tvām abhirakṣatu | prīto svaḥ tava śaucena dīrgham āyur avāpnuhi ||

Translation

马尔坎德耶说：年迈的父母慈爱地说道：“起来，起来吧，通晓法（dharma）的人。愿法护佑你四方周全。我们因你清净的行止与尽心的侍奉而欢喜。愿你得享长寿。”

Word by Word

• {'vṛddhau': 'the two aged ones

• the elderly couple (here, the parents)', 'ūcatuḥ': 'they two said (dual perfect)', 'uttiṣṭha': 'rise

• get up (imperative)', 'dharmajña': 'knower of dharma

• one skilled in righteousness', 'dharmaḥ': 'Dharma

• moral law', 'tvām': 'you (accusative singular)', 'abhirakṣatu': 'may (he/it) protect fully

• may guard on all sides (benedictive/imperative sense)', 'prītaḥ/prītau': "pleased

• satisfied (contextually: 'we are pleased')", 'svaḥ': 'well-being

• welfare (also used as a blessing)', 'tava': 'your', 'śaucena': 'by purity/cleanliness

• by pure conduct (instrumental)', 'dīrgham': 'long', 'āyuḥ': 'life

• lifespan', 'avāpnuhi': 'attain

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• the aged parents (vṛddhau)
• Dharma (as a protective principle/personified force)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Purity of conduct (śauca) and devoted service to elders are presented as dharmic virtues that invite blessings—especially protection by Dharma and the fruit of long life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Mārkaṇḍeya’s narration, an elderly mother and father affectionately awaken their son, praising his righteous understanding and pure behavior, and they bestow a benediction: may Dharma guard him and may he attain long life.