Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 43, Shloka 57

Adhyaya 43 — Portents of Death (Ariṣṭa-lakṣaṇas) and the Yogin’s Response; Alarka Renounces Kingship

Sanskrit

तद्गृहं यत्र वसतिः तद्भोज्यं येन जीवति ।

येन सम्पद्यते चार्थस्तत्सुखं ममतात्र का ॥

Transliteration

tadgṛhaṃ yatra vasatiḥ tadbhojyaṃ yena jīvati | yena sampadyate cārthas tatsukhaṃ mamatātra kā ||

Translation

此即所居之“家”；此即赖以存活之“食”；此即成办所求之“财”；此即所谓“乐”——于此诸法之中，何处有“我所”之执？

Word by Word

• tad-gṛham: that house
• tad-gṛham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; 'that house' (demonstrative + noun)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• vasatiḥ: dwelling/residence
• vasatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; 'dwelling/residence'

• tad-bhojyam: that food
• tad-bhojyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + bhojya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; 'that which is to be eaten/food'

• yena: by which/with which
• yena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• jīvati: lives
• jīvati: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• sampadyate: comes about/is obtained
• sampadyate: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pad (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/Present), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• arthaḥ: wealth/means/purpose
• arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tad-sukham: that happiness
• tad-sukham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; 'that happiness/comfort'

• mamatā: possessiveness
• mamatā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mamatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; abstract noun 'mine-ness/possessiveness'

• atra: here/in this (case)
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• kā: what? (what is there?)
• kā: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative focus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; interrogative pronoun

Speakers

• Didactic narrator

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Mamatā-tyāga (abandoning possessiveness)
• Non-attachment
• Functional view of resources
• Yoga and renunciation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Resources are functional supports, not extensions of the self. Recognizing their conditional, instrumental nature dissolves possessiveness and stabilizes yoga.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A mokṣa-oriented teaching passage; not within the five formal purāṇic marks.

What is the esoteric significance?

The verse deconstructs identity built on external props (place, food, wealth, pleasure). When these are seen as ‘that’ (tad) rather than ‘mine,’ the witness-consciousness stands revealed.