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
patnīthe wife
patnī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpatnī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
mad-arthamfor my sake
mad-artham:
Hetu (हेतु) / Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण ‘for my sake’
tenaby him
tena:
Karana (करण) / Agent-in-passive
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
nāgenaby the serpent
nāgena:
Karana (करण) / Agent-in-passive
TypeNoun
Rootnāga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
sutādaughter
sutā:
Karta (कर्ता) (subject of śaptā)
TypeNoun
Rootsutā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन
śaptāwas cursed
śaptā:
Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√śap (धातु) → śapta (कृदन्त/क्त)
Formकृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘cursed’
sakhīfriend
sakhī:
Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
TypeNoun
Rootsakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समानााधिकरण (apposition to sutā)
mamamy
mama:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन
mūkāmute
mūkā:
Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmūka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; भविष्यसि-क्रियायाः विशेषणम्
bhaviṣyasiyou will become
bhaviṣyasi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (धातु)
Formलृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरणार्थक अव्यय (quotative)
āhasaid
āha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ah (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
sāshe
sā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)
mūkatvammuteness
mūkatvam:
Karma (कर्म) (object of āgatā)
TypeNoun
Rootmūkatva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन
āgatāattained/came to
āgatā:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त/क्त)
Formकृदन्त (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 ThemesKarmic consequence (curse)Compassion and responsibilityAffliction of speech (vāg-vighāta)
FAQs
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.
Narrative dharma illustration; not directly sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara.
Muteness signifies blockage of vāg-śakti; the coming remedy via Sarasvatī aligns speech with sacred order (ṛta) through mantra and iṣṭi.