Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 84

Adhyaya 34 — Madālāsā’s Instruction on Sadācāra (Householder Conduct, Purity, and Daily Rites)

Sanskrit

गुरोः पतिव्रतानाञ्च तथा यज्वितपस्विनाम् ।

परिवादं न कुर्वीत परिहासं च पुत्रक ॥

Transliteration

guroḥ pativratānāṃ ca tathā yajvitapasvinām / parivādaṃ na kurvīta parihāsaṃ ca putraka

Translation

亲爱的孩子，不应诽谤或嘲弄上师；也不应嘲弄守贞而敬夫的贤妻（pativratā）；同样也不可嘲弄行祭者与苦行者。

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• पतिव्रतानाम्: of devoted wives
• पतिव्रतानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिव्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (pateḥ vratā yāḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'likewise')

• यज्वितपस्विनाम्: of sacrificers and ascetics
• यज्वितपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्विन् + तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (collective), षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (yajvinaś ca tapasvinaś ca)

• परिवादम्: slander
• परिवादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• कुर्वीत: should do/make
• कुर्वीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• परिहासम्: mockery/joking
• परिहासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• पुत्रक: O dear son
• पुत्रक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speakers

• Didactic narrator within Markandeya Purana

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Speech ethics
• Guru-bhakti
• Respect for ascetics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Speech is karmically potent: slander and mockery toward those who embody discipline (guru, tapasvin) and fidelity (pativratā) is treated as a direct violation of dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary ethical teaching (ācāra), not cosmological/genealogical material.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ridicule dissolves śraddhā (reverent trust), which is the subtle foundation for learning, ritual efficacy, and inner transformation.