Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 25

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

स्वल्पं पापं कृतं पुंसां देशकालोपपादितम् ।

पादन्यासकृतं दुःखं कण्टकोत्थं प्रयच्छति ॥

Transliteration

svalpaṃ pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ puṃsā deśakālopapāditam / pādanyāsakṛtaṃ duḥkhaṃ kaṇṭakotthaṃ prayacchati

Translation

人若在时处因缘所限而造作微罪，其所感之苦亦微，如行步失当而为荆棘所刺之痛。

Word by Word

• svalpam: small
• svalpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषण

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• kṛtam: committed
• kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'done/committed'

• puṃsām: of men/people
• puṃsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• deśa-kāla-upapāditam: conditioned/occasioned by place and time
• deśa-kāla-upapāditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deśa + kāla + upapādita (प्रातिपदिक; उप-√pad (धातु) + णिच्? + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'brought about by place and time'); क्त-कृदन्त

• pāda-nyāsa-kṛtam: caused by a footstep
• pāda-nyāsa-kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāda + nyāsa + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (instrumental/causal sense: 'done by/through placing the foot'); क्त-कृदन्त

• duḥkham: pain
• duḥkham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• kaṇṭaka-uttham: arising from a thorn
• kaṇṭaka-uttham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kaṇṭaka + uttha (प्रातिपदिक; ud-√sthā/√utthā 'arise')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ablative/source sense: 'arisen from a thorn')

• prayacchati: gives/produces
• prayacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

Speakers

• Dialogue setting (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Proportionality of karma
• Ethics
• Everyday examples
• Cause and effect

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Karmic results are proportionate and intelligible: small wrongs tend to yield limited suffering. The text uses a mundane example to make moral causality practical and observable.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction (Dharma) rather than cosmological or genealogical material.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘thorn’ is the subtle sting of minor transgressions—small impurities in conduct that disturb peace. Purification begins with attention to ‘small’ acts.