Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 85

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

Sanskrit

कुर्वतामविनीतानां न श्रोतव्यं कथञ्चन ।

नोत्कृष्टशय्यासनयोर्नापकृष्टस्य चारुहेत् ॥

Transliteration

kurvatām avinītānāṃ na śrotavyaṃ kathañcana / notkṛṣṭaśayyāsanayoḥ nāpakṛṣṭasya cāruhet

Translation

切莫以任何方式聆听无纪律之人的言谈。不可占用过于尊高的床榻或座位，也不可登踏属于地位低于自己者之物。

Word by Word

• कुर्वताम्: of those who act/do
• कुर्वताम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (genitive) बहुवचन; 'of those who do'

• अविनीतानाम्: of the undisciplined
• अविनीतानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविनीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (or mixed), षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• श्रोतव्यम्: should be listened to
• श्रोतव्यम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'to be listened to/should be heard'

• कथञ्चन: at all
• कथञ्चन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/न्यूनताबोधक (adverb: 'in any way/at all')

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

• उत्कृष्टशय्यासनयोः: on an excellent bed and seat
• उत्कृष्टशय्यासनयोः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्कृष्ट + शय्या + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective), सप्तमी/षष्ठी द्विवचन-रूप (locative/genitive dual) here in sense of locative 'on/in'; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (śayyā ca āsanaṃ ca) with विशेषण 'utkṛṣṭa'

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

• अपकृष्टस्य: of an inferior (person)
• अपकृष्टस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of an inferior person'

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

• आरुहेत्: should mount/ascend
• आरुहेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Didactic narrator within Markandeya Purana

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Etiquette (sadācāra)
• Humility
• Speech and influence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Character is shaped by what one hears and by how one carries oneself; avoiding undisciplined influence and practicing modesty in status-symbols preserves inner steadiness.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary ācāra-dharma instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Seat/bed’ can symbolize ego-positioning; refusing undue elevation is a practice of de-centering ahaṃkāra.