Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 24, Shloka 17

Adhyaya 24 — Kuvalayashva’s Refusal of Gifts and the Vision of Madalasa’s Maya

Sanskrit

कृतकृत्योऽस्मि चैतेन सफलं जीवितञ्च मे ।

यदङ्गसंस्लेषमितस्तव देवस्य मानुषः ॥

Transliteration

kṛtakṛtyo 'smi caitena saphalaṃ jīvitañ ca me / yad aṅga-saṃśleṣam itaḥ tava devasya mānuṣaḥ

Translation

由此，我已成就应成之事，我的生命亦得圆满——因为我这区区凡人，竟得与汝身相触，噢神圣的女神（Devi）。

Word by Word

• कृतकृत्यः: one who has accomplished his duty
• कृतकृत्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + कृत्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival use)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतेन: by this
• एतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सफलम्: fruitful
• सफलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative)

• अङ्ग-संस्लेषम्: embrace/close contact of (your) limbs
• अङ्ग-संस्लेषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्लेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (aṅgasya saṃśleṣaḥ)

• इतः: from this (act)/hereby
• इतः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/दिशाबोधक (ablatival adverb: 'from here/from this')

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मानुषः: a human (being)
• मानुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speakers

• A human supplicant (likely the prince/royal youth in the episode) addressing the Nāga-lord (pannageśvara); narration continues within the Markandeya Purana’s story-world

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Bhakti-like reverence
• Humility before the divine
• Merit through contact/darśana

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates proximity to the divine (darśana/sparśa) as a life-fulfilling attainment, cultivating humility and gratitude rather than entitlement.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not directly a pancalakṣaṇa item; it belongs to dharma-upadeśa/nīti embedded in narrative (ancillary ethical instruction rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Bodily contact with the divine’ can be read as symbolic of saṃskāra—transformative imprint—where even a brief touch of higher reality reorients one’s inner disposition toward dharma.