Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 72, Shloka 22

Adhyaya 72 — The Reconciliation Rite, Sarasvati Sacrifice, and the Birth of Uttama Manu (Auttama Manvantara Prelude)

Sanskrit

पत्नीउवाच मदर्थं तेन नागेन सुता शप्ता सखी मम ।

मूका भविष्यसीत्याह सा च मूकत्वमागताः ॥

Transliteration

patnyuvāca madarthaṃ tena nāgena sutā śaptā sakhī mama | mūkā bhaviṣyasīty āha sā ca mūkatvam āgatāḥ ||

Translation

王后说道：“为我之故，我的挚友——那位少女——被那位那伽（Nāga）诅咒：‘你将变为哑默。’ 她也确实陷入了失语。”

Word by Word

• patnī: the wife
• patnī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• mad-artham: for my sake
• mad-artham: Hetu (हेतु) / Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण ‘for my sake’

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (करण) / Agent-in-passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nāgena: by the serpent
• nāgena: Karana (करण) / Agent-in-passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sutā: daughter
• sutā: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of śaptā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaptā: was cursed
• śaptā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śap (धातु) → śapta (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘cursed’

• sakhī: friend
• sakhī: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (apposition to sutā)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mūkā: mute
• mūkā: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भविष्यसि-क्रियायाः विशेषणम्

• bhaviṣyasi: you will become
• bhaviṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• mūkatvam: muteness
• mūkatvam: Karma (कर्म) (object of āgatā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūkatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• āgatā: attained/came to
• āgatā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘has come/has attained’

Speakers

• Queen to king

Shakti Aspects

• Sarasvatī (implicit as goddess of speech; explicit later)

Key Themes

• Karmic consequence (curse)
• Compassion and responsibility
• Affliction of speech (vāg-vighāta)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

One is ethically compelled to remedy harm that occurred ‘because of me’ (madartham), even if indirectly; compassion extends beyond the household to friends and dependents.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative dharma illustration; not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

Muteness signifies blockage of vāg-śakti; the coming remedy via Sarasvatī aligns speech with sacred order (ṛta) through mantra and iṣṭi.