Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 84

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

एतत् सत्यं विजानीतं युवां प्राणा बहिश्चराः ।

पुनर्नैवं विभिन्नार्थं वक्तव्यं द्विजसत्तमौ ॥

Transliteration

etat satyaṃ vijānītaṃ yuvāṃ prāṇā bahiścarāḥ / punar naivaṃ vibhinnārthaṃ vaktavyaṃ dvijasattamau

Translation

“当知此为真实：你们二人正是我自身之生命，离我而外行住。是故，噢二生中最胜者，莫再说分裂我等志业之言。”

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• satyam: truth
• satyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; in apposition to etat

• vijānītam: know (you two)!
• vijānītam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√jñā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन); Vedic/epic ending -ītam for -ītam (jānītam)

• yuvām: you two
• yuvām: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual

• prāṇāḥ: life-breaths/lives
• prāṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bahiścarāḥ: moving outside (the body)
• bahiścarāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahiḥ + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘moving outside’; Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifying prāṇāḥ

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरावृत्तिबोधक अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारबोधक अव्यय)

• vibhinnārtham: with a different meaning
• vibhinnārtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vibhinna + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: ‘having different meaning/purpose’; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifying vaktavyam (as content)

• vaktavyam: should be said
• vaktavyam: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: Kṛtya gerundive in -tavya; Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; impersonal passive sense ‘it should be spoken’

• dvijasattamau: O best of Brahmins (you two)
• dvijasattamau: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध) ‘best among dvijas’; Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Dual

Speakers

• Speaker continues addressing the two as dvijasattamau (suggesting they are treated as brahmin-like or noble ‘twice-born’ in status/gesture)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Non-divisive speech
• Kinship and loyalty
• Truth-affirmation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Speech that fractures shared aims is treated as adharma; unity (saṅgati) is preserved through satya (truthfulness) and restraint in vāṇī (speech). Calling them ‘my life-breaths’ elevates relationship above transaction.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vamśānucarita / narrative ethics; not a cosmological or manvantara enumeration here.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Life moving outside’ suggests extension of the self into trusted others—an image for how identity can expand beyond bodily limits when attachment is replaced by affectionate duty.