Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 50, Shloka 66

Adhyaya 50 — Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)

Sanskrit

योषितोऽबिरता यत्र न वहिर्गमनोत्सुकाः ।

लज्जान्विताः सदा गेहं यक्ष तत्परिवर्जय ॥

Transliteration

yoṣito 'biratā yatra na vahirgamanotsukāḥ | lajjānvitāḥ sadā gehaṃ yakṣa tat parivarjaya ||

Translation

夜叉啊，应当避开那所住宅：其中妇女不淫乱，不贪恋外出游荡，且恒常具足端庄与羞耻之德。

Word by Word

• yoṣitaḥ: women
• yoṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• abiratāḥ: not unrestrained (i.e., restrained)
• abiratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-birata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Feminine (लिङ्गानुसार), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); here agreeing with yoṣitaḥ (fem. pl.)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), relative adverb

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), negation particle (निषेध)

• vahiḥ: outside
• vahiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb

• gamana-utsukāḥ: eager to go out
• gamana-utsukāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक) + utsuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (agreeing with yoṣitaḥ), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa 'eager for going out'

• lajjā-anvitāḥ: possessed of modesty
• lajjā-anvitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lajjā (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त, √i/√vṛt?; adjectival)
• Form: Feminine (agreeing with yoṣitaḥ), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa 'endowed with modesty'

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• geham: house
• geham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• yakṣa: O Yakṣa
• yakṣa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• parivarjaya: avoid completely
• parivarjaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√vṛj (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यम/2nd person), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speakers

• Unspecified in input; direct address to Yakṣa

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Household norms (as presented in the text)
• Modesty (lajjā)
• Social order
• Protection of the home

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The passage reflects a classical dharma-text valuation of restraint and propriety as stabilizers of household life. Such restraint is framed as creating a boundary that harmful influences should not cross.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Social-ethical instruction; not a pancalakṣaṇa element.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Lajjā’ functions as inner guardianship—an internal boundary that prevents dissipation of attention and vitality; the home becomes symbolically ‘closed’ to predatory or chaotic forces.