Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 14, Shloka 34

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

Sanskrit

प्रभूतमथवा स्वल्पं विक्रियाकारि चेतसः ।

तावताऽस्य पुण्यं वा पापं वाप्यथ चेतरम् ॥

Transliteration

prabhūtam athavā svalpaṃ vikriyākāri cetasaḥ / tāvatā 'sya puṇyaṃ vā pāpaṃ vāpy atha cetaram

Translation

无论大或小，只要它在心中引起变异；依其程度，对他便成为功德或罪业，或招感相应之果报。

Word by Word

• prabhūtam: abundant, great
• prabhūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: 'or')

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

• vikriyā-kāri: causing alteration (of mind)
• vikriyā-kāri: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'vikriyāyāḥ kāri' = causing change; विशेषण

• cetasaḥ: of the mind
• cetasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• tāvatā: by that much, to that extent
• tāvatā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); प्रमाण/परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• tasya: of him/its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc./Neut.), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• puṇyam: merit
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• pāpam: sin, demerit
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• atha: then, and
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रसङ्गबोधक अव्यय (then/now)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• itaram: the other (i.e., the opposite)
• itaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण/सर्वनामसदृश (the other)

Speakers

• Unclear from provided excerpt (later addresses 'rājan')

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Mind and karma
• Intention/impact
• Ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The moral weight of an act is tied to its inner psychological force and transformation—karma is measured not only by outward scale but by the depth of mental involvement and impact.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical psychology; not a pancalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

By foregrounding ‘citta-vikriyā’ (mental modification), the verse aligns karmic potency with saṃskāra formation—what imprints the mind most strongly ripens most strongly.