Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 20, Shloka 57

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

Sanskrit

अप्रेषयत धर्मात्मा गालवेन समं तदा ।

स्वमाश्रमपदं सोऽपि तमादाय ययौ मुनिः ॥

Transliteration

apreṣayat dharmātmā gālavena samaṃ tadā | svam āśramapadaṃ so 'pi tam ādāya yayau muniḥ ||

Translation

随后，那位持守正法的国王遣他与伽拉瓦（Gālava）同行。圣者携他同往，回到自己的林栖道场。

Word by Word

• apreṣayat: dispatched/sent
• apreṣayat: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√preṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); ‘sent forth/dispatched’

• dharmātmā: the righteous one
• dharmātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—बहुव्रीहि (‘whose nature is dharma’ = righteous one)

• gālavena: with Gālava
• gālavena: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gālava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• samam: together
• samam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage (अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग), adverb ‘together/equally’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), temporal adverb

• svam: his own
• svam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्

• āśramapadam: to (his) hermitage-place
• āśramapadam: Karma (कर्म/Object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama-pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (āśramasya padam = ‘place of the hermitage’)

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

• api: also
• api: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात/अव्यय), ‘also/even’

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

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having taken’

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• muniḥ: the sage
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

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

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Alliance of kingship and ascetic authority
• Hermitage as moral center
• Guidance of the heir by a sage

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The king’s righteousness is shown by entrusting the prince to a sage: political power is refined by proximity to tapas and instruction, not by isolation in courtly privilege.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita—events shaping the conduct and destiny of dynastic figures.

What is the esoteric significance?

Movement from palace to āśrama symbolizes the inward turn needed for right action: the heir’s external authority is grounded in inner discipline.