Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 20, Shloka 19

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

पुत्रावूचतुः पुत्रः शत्रुजितस्तात नाम्ना ख्यात ऋतध्वजः ।

रूपवानार्जवोपेतः शूरो मानी प्रियंवदः ॥

Transliteration

putrāv ūcatuḥ putraḥ śatrujitas tāta nāmnā khyāta ṛtadhvajaḥ |

rūpavān ārjavopetaḥ śūro mānī priyaṃvadaḥ ||

Translation

诸子说道：“父亲啊，那人乃是沙特鲁吉特之子，名闻为‘利陀陀伐阇’（Ṛtadhvaja）——容貌俊美，秉性端直，英勇无畏，志气高昂，言辞甘美。”

Word by Word

• putrau: the two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ūcatuḥ: said (the two)
• ūcatuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• putraḥ: a son
• putraḥ: Pratijñā/Topic (प्रस्ताव्य/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śatrujitaḥ: Enemy-conqueror (name/epithet)
• śatrujitaḥ: Viśeṣya-nāma (विशेष्य/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + jit (√ji धातु, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘śatrūn jitaḥ’ (conqueror of enemies); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāta: O father
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• khyātaḥ: known, famed
• khyātaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyā (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Ṛtadhvaja (name)
• ṛtadhvajaḥ: Viśeṣya-nāma (विशेष्य/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘ṛtasya dhvajaḥ’ (whose banner is truth / truth-bannered); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rūpavān: handsome
• rūpavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: Possessive adjective (वत्त्वर्थक), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• ārjava-upetaḥ: endowed with honesty
• ārjava-upetaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārjava (प्रातिपदिक) + upeta (√i धातु, क्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘ārjavena upetaḥ’ (endowed with straightforwardness); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śūraḥ: brave
• śūraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mānī: proud, self-respecting
• mānī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• priyaṃvadaḥ: sweet-spoken
• priyaṃvadaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyam (प्रातिपदिक) + vada (√vad धातु, कर्तृ)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound (तत्पुरुष): ‘priyaṃ vadati’ (speaks pleasantly); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Nāga-sons to their father (reported by Jaḍa)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Eulogy of virtue
• Genealogical identification
• Ideal royal qualities

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The attraction is grounded not merely in pleasure but in perceived guṇa (virtue): beauty is listed, yet moral qualities (ārjava, priya-vāda) are emphasized—suggesting that true affection is drawn to dhārmic character.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Touches vaṃśa (lineage: ‘son of Śatrujit’) and vaṃśānucarita (characterization of a royal figure), but remains within a local narrative unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘banner of ṛta’ (ṛta-dhvaja) symbolically points to alignment with cosmic order (ṛta): the psyche naturally gravitates toward harmony and truth when it is not fully obscured by tamas.