Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 74, Shloka 3

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

तस्य दीर्घायुṣः पत्न्यो नातिदीर्घायुṣो मुने ।

कालेन जग्मुर्निधनं भृत्यमन्त्रिजनास्तथा ॥

Transliteration

tasya dīrghāyuṣaḥ patnyo nātidīrghāyuṣo mune / kālena jagmur nidhanaṃ bhṛtyamantrijanās tathā

Translation

噢仙人，那位长寿之王的诸王后却并不长寿；时日一久，皆归于死亡——其仆从、群臣及其他众人亦复如是。

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• दीर्घायुṣः: of the long-lived (king)
• दीर्घायुṣः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घायुṣ्/दीर्घायुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासः दीर्घ + आयुस् (कर्मधारय: 'long-lived')

• पत्न्यः: wives
• पत्न्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अतिदीर्घायुṣः: of very long life
• अतिदीर्घायुṣः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिदीर्घायुṣ्/अतिदीर्घायुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासः अति + दीर्घायुṣ् (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• कालेन: with time; in course of time
• कालेन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• जग्मुः: went; reached
• जग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• निधनम्: death; end
• निधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• भृत्यमन्त्रिजनाः: servants and ministers (people)
• भृत्यमन्त्रिजनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य + मन्त्रिन् + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: भृत्याः च मन्त्रिणः च जनाः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यत्वबोधक (adverb: likewise)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (narrator)

Key Themes

• Impermanence
• Time (kāla) as inevitable
• Grief of separation
• Limits of boons

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when one person is granted exceptional longevity, relationships remain subject to time. The verse presses vairāgya (dispassion) and realism: worldly supports—family, staff, administration—are transient.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita: a moralized royal biography illustrating the workings of kāla within human life.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kāla functions as the hidden deity here: the dissolver of attachments. The long-lived king becomes a locus for contemplating the asymmetry of destinies—prompting an inward turn toward tapas.