Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 76, Shloka 40

Adhyaya 76 — The Sixth Manvantara: Cakshusha Manu, the Child-Snatcher, and the Problem of Kinship

Sanskrit

सोऽप्यानन्दस्तपस्तेपे बाल एव महावने ।

कर्मणां क्षुपणार्थाय विमुक्तेः परिपन्थिनाम् ॥

Transliteration

so 'pyānandastapastepe bāla eva mahāvane / karmaṇāṃ kṣupaṇārthāya vimukteḥ paripanthinām

Translation

“那位阿难陀（Ānanda）也在年少之时，于大森林中修苦行，为的是磨灭业（karma）——那些在通往解脱（mokṣa）之道上成为障碍的业。”

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning 'also/even'

• ānandaḥ: Ānanda
• ānandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used as proper name/epithet

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• tepe: performed (did penance)
• tepe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (तप् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa 3rd person, Singular

• bālaḥ: a boy
• bālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• mahāvane: in the great forest
• mahāvane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-vana (प्रातिपदिक; components: mahā + vana)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• karmaṇām: of actions (karmas)
• karmaṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṣapaṇa-arthāya: for the purpose of destruction (of karmas)
• kṣapaṇa-arthāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣapaṇa-artha (प्रातिपदिक; components: kṣapaṇa + artha)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular; purpose dative

• vimukteḥ: of liberation
• vimukteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• paripanthinām: of the obstructers/opponents
• paripanthinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paripanthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya narrating

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Tapas and purification
• Karma-kṣaya (attenuation of karmic obstacles)
• Mokṣa orientation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Austerity is presented as a disciplined means to reduce karmic impediments to freedom. The emphasis on ‘even as a boy’ underscores that sincere spiritual striving is not bound to age or status.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ascetic-dharma teaching within narrative; not a pañcalakṣaṇa cosmological/genealogical unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Forest’ signifies withdrawal from sense-fields; ‘karmas as paripanthins’ frames liberation as a path where latent impressions must be burned by tapas (inner heat).