Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 15, Shloka 9

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

Sanskrit

सञ्जायते महावक्त्रो मूषिको बभ्रुसन्निभः । परदाराभिमर्षात्तु वृको घोरोऽभिजायते ॥

Transliteration

sañjāyate mahāvaktro mūṣiko babhrusannibhaḥ / paradārābhimarṣāttu vṛko ghoro 'bhijāyate

Translation

他转生为一只大口的鼠，形色褐黄。然而因侵犯他人之妻，便转生为可怖的狼。

Word by Word

• सञ्जायते: is born/arises
• सञ्जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• महावक्त्रः: the large-mouthed one
• महावक्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• मूषिकः: a mouse/rat
• मूषिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• बभ्रु-सन्निभः: resembling brown (color)
• बभ्रु-सन्निभः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बभ्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• पर-दार-अभिमर्षात्: from violating another's wife
• पर-दार-अभिमर्षात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी (5th case, Ablative), एकवचन (singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (adversative/emphatic)

• वृकः: a wolf
• वृकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• अभिजायते: is born (as)/comes into being
• अभिजायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (didactic narration)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Theft
• Sexual misconduct (paradāra)
• Karma and rebirth

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text grades harms: theft of crops leads to a scavenging/gnawing embodiment (mouse), while sexual violation of another’s spouse is portrayed as predatory violence (wolf).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma teaching (karma-vipāka), not a core pancalakṣaṇa narrative unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mouse and wolf are moral metaphors: secretive consumption versus open predation—two modes of adharma shaping the next ‘nature’ (svabhāva).