Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 39

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

सोऽजीर्णव्याधिदुःखार्तो मन्दाग्निः संप्रजायते । परनिन्दा कृतघ्रत्वं परमार्मावघट्टनम् ॥

Transliteration

so 'jīrṇa-vyādhi-duḥkhārto mandāgniḥ saṃprajāyate / paranindā kṛtaghratvaṃ paramarmāvaghaṭṭanam

Translation

他将受消化不良、疾病与痛苦所逼，消化之火（阿耆尼，agni）亦变得微弱。又会生起诽谤他人、忘恩负义，以及在他人最敏感之处加以伤害等过失。

Word by Word

• सः: he (such a person)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अजीर्ण-व्याधि-दुःख-आर्तः: afflicted by indigestion, disease, and pain
• अजीर्ण-व्याधि-दुःख-आर्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• मन्द-अग्निः: having weak digestive fire
• मन्द-अग्निः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• सं-प्र-जायते: is born/arises
• सं-प्र-जायते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पर-निन्दा: censure of others
• पर-निन्दा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + निन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कृत-घ्रत्वम्: ingratitude
• कृत-घ्रत्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परम-अर्म-अवघट्टनम्: severe injury/harsh striking at vital points
• परम-अर्म-अवघट्टनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्मन्/अर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अवघट्टन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics (speech and conduct)
• Karmaphala (bodily and mental)
• Ayurvedic-style moral-physiology linkage

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse links vice to both physical imbalance (mandāgni, disease) and social harm (slander, ingratitude, cruelty), presenting dharma as holistic—governing body, speech, and relationships.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma/karma-phala material; ancillary to pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Weak Agni’ is a spiritual metaphor as well: diminished inner fire leads to poor assimilation of experience, producing reactive speech (slander) and subtle violence (striking others’ marmas).