Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 44, Shloka 20

Adhyaya 44 — Subahu’s Counsel to the King of Kashi and Alarka’s Renunciation through Yoga

Sanskrit

सुबाहुरुवाच धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यं पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयम् ।

तत्र धर्मार्थकामास्ते सकला हीयतेऽपरः ॥

Transliteration

subāhur uvāca dharmārthakāmamokṣākhyaṃ puruṣārtha-catuṣṭayam / tatra dharmārthakāmās te sakalā hīyate 'paraḥ //

Translation

苏巴胡说道：人的四种目标称为法（dharma）、利（artha）、欲（kāma）与解脱（mokṣa）。其中，当法、利、欲皆已衰减之时，所余者——解脱——应当求取。

Word by Word

• सुबाहुः: Subāhu
• सुबाहुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुबाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यम्: called dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa
• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + काम + मोक्ष + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—(धर्म-अर्थ-काम-मोक्ष)-आख्यः = ‘धर्मादीन् आख्यायते इति/यस्य नाम’

• पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयम्: the fourfold aims of man
• पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषार्थ + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—पुरुषार्थानां चतुष्टयम्

• तत्र: therein
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• धर्मार्थकामाः: dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्मार्थकामाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सकलाः: all (of them)
• सकलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते इति)

• हीयते: is diminished
• हीयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• अपरः: the other (one)
• अपरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; ‘अन्यः/शेषः’

Speakers

• Subāhu to Kāśirāja

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Puruṣārthas
• Dharma
• Renunciation and mokṣa
• Life priorities

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Human life is structured around four aims. When worldly capacities/attachments (artha and kāma, and even conventional dharma as social performance) wane, the teaching redirects one toward mokṣa as the enduring aim.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Philosophical instruction; not a pancalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘diminishing’ of the first three can indicate vairāgya arising from impermanence. As the grip of external pursuits loosens, the inward path to liberation becomes viable.