Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 65, Shloka 24

Adhyaya 65 — Svarocis Enjoys on the Mountain; A Debate on Marital Fidelity and Desire

Sanskrit

एका त्वनेकानुगता यथा हासास्पदं जने ।

अनेकाभिस्तथैवैकॊ भोगदृष्ट्या निरीक्षितः ॥

Transliteration

ekā tv anekānugatā yathā hāsāspadaṃ jane |

anekābhis tathaivāiko bhogadṛṣṭyā nirīkṣitaḥ ||

Translation

正如一名女子追随多人，便在世人中成了笑柄；同样，一名男子（被）多人环绕，也只会被以纯粹享乐之目光所看待。

Word by Word

• ekā: one (woman/female)
• ekā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'one (female)'

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: 'but/however')

• aneka-anugatā: followed by many
• aneka-anugatā: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + anugata (कृदन्त; anu-√gam)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'followed by many'

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्यय (comparative: 'as/just as')

• hāsa-āspadam: a laughingstock
• hāsa-āspadam: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + āspada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'object/place of laughter' (predicate)

• jane: among people
• jane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'among people'

• anekābhiḥ: by many (women)
• anekābhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'by many (women/females)'

• tathā: so
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय: 'so/in that way'

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis): 'indeed/just'

• ekaḥ: one (man)
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'one (man/male)'

• bhoga-dṛṣṭyā: with an enjoyment-seeking view
• bhoga-dṛṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental: 'with a view of enjoyment/pleasure'

• nirīkṣitaḥ: is looked at/observed
• nirīkṣitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु) → nirīkṣita (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate: 'is looked at/observed'

Speakers

• Narrative voice concluding the moral point (or continuing the deer-episode’s didactic thrust)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Social ethics
• Reputation and consequence
• Critique of promiscuity
• Objectification

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text frames promiscuity as socially and morally corrosive for both genders: it reduces persons to entertainment and invites public contempt or exploitative regard.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not pañcalakṣaṇa; it is ācāra/nīti teaching embedded in Purāṇic narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Bhogadṛṣṭi’ (the gaze of consumption) is a spiritual warning: when the seer becomes a consumer, both self and other are veiled from their deeper nature (ātma-darśana is replaced by bhoga-darśana).