Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 52

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

Sanskrit

यमपुरुष उवाच पितृदेवातिथिप्रैष्य-शिष्टेनान्नेन ते तनुः ।

पुष्टिमभ्यागता यस्मात्तद्गतं च मनो यतः ॥

Transliteration

yamapuruṣa uvāca pitṛdevātithipraiṣya-śiṣṭenānnena te tanuḥ | puṣṭim abhyāgatā yasmāt tadgataṃ ca mano yataḥ ||

Translation

阎摩使者说道：“因为你的身体以食物滋养，而那食物依时先供奉于祖先、诸天、宾客、仆从/依附者以及应受敬者；因此，心意也趋向于那份功德。”

Word by Word

• यमपुरुषः: Yama's messenger
• यमपुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'person of Yama'

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person singular

• पितृदेवातिथिप्रैष्यशिष्टेन: with food reserved for ancestors, gods, guests, and servants
• पितृदेवातिथिप्रैष्यशिष्टेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-देव-अतिथि-प्रैष्य-शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (शिष्ट-), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (पितृ+देव+अतिथि+प्रैष्य) + 'शिष्ट' = 'left/assigned for ...'

• अन्नेन: with food
• अन्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular 'of you/your'

• तनुः: body
• तनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• पुष्टिम्: nourishment, strength
• पुष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अभ्यागता: has attained, has come to
• अभ्यागता: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with 'तनुः'

• यस्मात्: because of which
• यस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular 'from which/because'

• तद्गतम्: fixed on that
• तद्गतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद्-गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'gone to that / fixed on that'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• यतः: since, because
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतु/सम्बन्धार्थक-अव्यय; indeclinable 'since/wherefrom' (used causally)

Speakers

• Yamapuruṣa to the king

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama (implied)

Key Themes

• Annadāna (food-giving)
• Pitṛ-yajña and hospitality
• Householder dharma
• Merit affecting others

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates the gṛhastha ethic: one should eat only after properly sharing—honoring pitṛs, devas, guests, dependents, and the virtuous. Such regulated generosity becomes a powerful puṇya with protective effects.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is dharma/ācāra instruction embedded in a narrative frame, not a pañcalakṣaṇa cosmology/genealogy passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

Food is treated as condensed prāṇa; when sanctified by right distribution (yajña-spirit), it purifies both body and mind, generating a subtle ‘cooling’ influence that can counteract harsh karmic experiences.