Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 8, Shloka 115

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

गायतां भूतवेतालपिशाचगणरक्षसाम् ।

श्रूयते सुमहान् घोरः कल्पान्त इव निःस्वनः ॥

Transliteration

gāyatāṃ bhūta-vetāla-piśāca-gaṇa-rakṣasām /

śrūyate sumahān ghoraḥ kalpānta iva niḥsvanaḥ

Translation

当诸多部众——部多（bhūta）、吠多罗（vetāla）、毗舍遮（piśāca）与罗刹（rākṣasa）——齐声歌唱时，便听见一阵宏大而可怖的咆哮，宛如一劫（kalpa）终尽之声。

Word by Word

• गायताम्: (they) sing
• गायताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धाातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्); परस्मैपद; प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष); बहुवचन — 3rd plural; वर्तमानकाले (they sing)

• भूतवेतालपिशाचगणरक्षसाम्: of the hosts of bhūtas, vetālas, piśācas, and rākṣasas
• भूतवेतालपिशाचगणरक्षसाम्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent; genitive of agents with verbal noun sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + वेताल (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी); बहुवचन — Genitive plural; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva)

• श्रूयते: is heard
• श्रूयते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष); एकवचन — 3rd singular; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular; उपपद-विशेषण (intensified: very great)

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular

• कल्पान्ते: at the end of an aeon
• कल्पान्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी); एकवचन — Locative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कल्पस्य अन्तः)

• इव: as if / like
• इव: उपमान (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• निःस्वनः: a roar; loud sound
• निःस्वनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा); एकवचन — Nominative singular

Speakers

• Narratorial description

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Apocalyptic simile (kalpānta)
• Spirit-hosts
• Fear as literary rasa
• Liminal spaces

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘end-of-aeon’ comparison magnifies the gravity of adharmic company and environments: the mind becomes overwhelmed by tamas when it dwells among destructive impressions.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Not a direct sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa unit; it functions as ākhyāna (narrative) that prepares for later instruction and transformation in the storyline.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kalpānta is also inner dissolution: when prāṇa and mind are seized by fear, one experiences a personal ‘world-end’—a cue for seeking refuge in higher dharma or divinity.