Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 3, Shloka 58

Adhyaya 3 — The Dharmapakshis’ Past-Life Curse and Indra’s Test of Truthfulness

Sanskrit

श्रूयतां च महाभाग यथा लोको विमुह्यति ।

कामक्रोधादिभिर्दोषैरवशः प्रबलारिभिः ॥

Transliteration

śrūyatāṃ ca mahābhāga yathā loko vimuhyati / kāmakrodhādibhir doṣair avaśaḥ prabalāribhiḥ //

Translation

“请听，贤者：世间如何陷入迷妄——被欲望与嗔怒等如强敌般的过失所压制，遂至无助而不能自持。”

Word by Word

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard
• श्रूयताम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘let it be heard’

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

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् भागः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यथा: how/as
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as/how)

• लोकः: the world/people
• लोकः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विमुह्यति: becomes deluded
• विमुह्यति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग ‘वि-’

• काम: desire
• काम: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद)

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद)

• आदिभिः: and the like
• आदिभिः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’ (with etc.)

• दोषैः: by faults
• दोषैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अवशः: helpless, powerless
• अवशः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लोकः)

• प्रबल: strong, powerful
• प्रबल: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासपूर्वपद)

• अरिभिः: by powerful enemies
• अरिभिः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (प्रबलाः अरयः); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya addressing Jaimini (frame dialogue; opening instruction)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Inner enemies (kāma-krodha)
• Human delusion (moha)
• Self-mastery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames a core dharmic psychology: suffering and wrong action arise when the mind is conquered by internal ‘enemies’—desire, anger, and allied vices. Ethical life begins with recognizing these as hostile forces and cultivating restraint (dama), discernment (viveka), and steadiness (dhṛti).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage is not primarily sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita. It belongs to ancillary upadeśa (instruction) and dharma-nīti material that many Purāṇas include alongside the pañcalakṣaṇa framework.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kāma and krodha are presented as ‘prabala-arayaḥ’ (mighty enemies), implying an inner battlefield. Esoterically, the ‘world’ (loka) also denotes the embodied field of experience; delusion arises when consciousness identifies with impulse and aversion, losing sovereignty (svātratya) and becoming ‘avaśa’ (compelled).