Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 11, Shloka 23

Adhyaya 11 — The Son’s Discourse on Embryogenesis, Birth, and the Wheel of Saṃsāra

Sanskrit

कदाचिदत्रैव पुनर्जातः स्वं कर्म सो 'श्नुते ।

कदाचिद्भुक्तकर्मा च मृतः स्वल्पेन गच्छति ॥

Transliteration

kadācid atraiva punarjātaḥ svaṃ karma so 'śnute | kadācid bhuktakarmā ca mṛtaḥ svalpena gacchati ||

Translation

有时，他就在此处（人间）再生，承受自己行为的果报。有时，某些业已耗尽，他便在短暂间隔后死亡而离去。

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb: 'here')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थ: 'born'

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; कर्म विशेषण

• कर्म: deed/karma
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: experiences
• अश्नुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक

• भुक्तकर्मा: one who has undergone (the fruits of) karma
• भुक्तकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुक्त-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त 'भुक्त' (PPP of √भुज्) + कर्मन्; तत्पुरुष: भुक्तं कर्म यस्य/भुक्तं कर्म (one who has undergone karma)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• मृतः: dead/having died
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वल्पेन: with little (time/means)
• स्वल्पेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुं), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रमाणे (by a little/with little [time/means])

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in excerpt.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Karma fruition
• Rebirth on earth
• Temporal intervals between lives

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reinforces personal moral responsibility: one cannot escape one’s own karma; the variability of outcomes and intervals warns against complacency and supports steady dharmic practice.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Karmic-dharma teaching (instructional), not a direct instance of Sarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Bhuktakarma’ implies karma operates in parcels; spiritual disciplines aim to prevent new bindings (āgāmi) and burn latent stock (sañcita), shortening the compelled ‘going’ described here.