Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 27, Shloka 20

Adhyaya 27 — Madālasa’s Instruction to King Alarka: Royal Ethics, Self-Conquest, and Statecraft

Sanskrit

बन्धकीपद्मशरभशूलिकागुर्विणीस्तनात् ।

प्रज्ञा नृपेण चादेया तथा गोपालयोषितः ॥

Transliteration

bandhakī-padma-śarabha-śūlikā-gurviṇī-stanāt | prajñā nṛpeṇa cādeyā tathā gopāla-yoṣitaḥ ||

Translation

国王亦当取智，纵从女子而来：如班达姬（bandhakī）、如莲之帕德玛（padmā）、舍罗婆型（śarabha）、树利迦（śūlikā），以及孕妇（以其乳房为象征）；同样也应向牧牛人之妇女学习。

Word by Word

• बन्धकीपद्मशरभशूलिकागुर्विणीस्तनात्: from the breast of (women such as) Bandhakī, lotus(-like), Śarabha, Śūlikā, and a pregnant woman
• बन्धकीपद्मशरभशूलिकागुर्विणीस्तनात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धकी + पद्म + शरभ + शूलिका + गुर्विणी + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-समासः (सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः; ‘...-स्तनात्’), पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘स्तनात्’ इति प्रधानपदम्

• प्रज्ञा: wisdom/insight
• प्रज्ञा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृपेण: by the king
• नृपेण: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agent-instrumental)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आदेया: should be taken/accepted
• आदेया: Vidheyā (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + आदेय (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive; ‘to be taken/accepted’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् ‘प्रज्ञा’

• तथा: likewise/so also
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• गोपालयोषितः: of cowherd women
• गोपालयोषितः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल + योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: गोपाल-योषित् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; ‘गोपालस्य योषित्’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन/बहुवचन-रूपसाम्य (contextually genitive: ‘of cowherd-women’)

Speakers

• Didactic narrator within rājadharma teaching

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Rājadharma
• Pragmatic wisdom
• Learning from all strata
• Social observation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Wisdom is not monopolized by rank: a ruler must be teachable, drawing practical insight from diverse lived experiences. The verse frames social observation as a legitimate source of policy intelligence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/statecraft instruction; ancillary to pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The list can be read as archetypes of human disposition—gentle, sharp, fierce, nurturing—implying the king must integrate multiple modes of intelligence (protective, discerning, and sustaining).