Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 20, Shloka 56

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

Sanskrit

स तस्य वचनाद्राजा तं वै पुत्रमृतध्वजम् ।

तमश्वरत्नमारोप्य कृतकौतुकमङ्गलम् ॥

Transliteration

sa tasya vacanād rājā taṃ vai putram ṛtadhvajam | tam aśvaratnam āropya kṛtakautukamaṅgalam ||

Translation

遵从圣者之言，国王在举行吉祥仪式与庆典之后，便令其子利塔德瓦贾（Ṛtadhvaja）乘上那匹如宝珠般的骏马。

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• vacanāt: from (his) word/at (his) instruction
• vacanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात/अव्यय), emphasis

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ṛtadhvajam: Ṛtadhvaja
• ṛtadhvajam: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛta-dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारय (proper name)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• aśvaratnam: the excellent horse
• aśvaratnam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva-ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• āropya: having mounted (him) on
• āropya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having mounted/placed upon’

• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalam: with auspicious ceremonies performed
• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adjectival complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त/PPP from √kṛ) + kautuka (प्रातिपदिक) + maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (kṛtaṃ kautukaṃ maṅgalaṃ ca yasmin = ‘with auspicious rites/ceremonies performed’; used adjectivally qualifying the act/context)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the father–sons frame; action description

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Auspicious rites (maṅgala)
• Obedience to sage counsel
• Ritual framing of political action

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic polity is ritually anchored: major acts (dispatching an heir, deploying a prized asset) are preceded by maṅgala rites, implying that worldly action should be harmonized with sacred order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita—depicting royal conduct and the formation of the heir’s public role.

What is the esoteric significance?

Maṅgala rites symbolize the consecration of intent: before power moves outward (the prince’s mission), the inner and communal spheres are aligned through auspicious acts.