Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 81, Shloka 8
Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account
Sanskrit
ततो मृगयाव्याजेन हृतस्वाम्यः स भूपतिः ।
एकाकी हयमारुह्य जगाम गहनं वनम् ॥
Transliteration
tato mṛgayā-vyājena hṛta-svāmyas sa bhūpatiḥ |
ekākī hayam āruhya jagāma gahanaṃ vanam ||
Translation
随后，那位国王以狩猎为托辞而被夺去王权，便骑上马，独自进入一片幽深茂密的森林。
Word by Word
tataḥthen/thereafter
tataḥ:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable); तस्मात्/ततः = ‘then, thereafter’ (temporal adverb)
mṛgayā-vyājenaby the pretext of hunting
mṛgayā-vyājena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛgayā (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-भाव): ‘mṛgayāyāḥ vyājaḥ’ → ‘under the pretext of hunting’
hṛta-svāmyāḥhaving lost his sovereignty
hṛta-svāmyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Roothṛta (कृदन्त; √hṛ हर् (धातु) + क्त) + svāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष: ‘hṛtaṃ svāmyaṃ yasya’ (lost sovereignty)
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
bhūpatiḥthe king
bhūpatiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhūpati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
ekākīalone
ekākī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootekākin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
hayama horse
hayam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roothaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
āruhyahaving mounted
āruhya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Root√ruh (रुह् धातु) + ā- उपसर्ग + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्ययभाव-क्त्वान्त (gerund); ‘having mounted’
jagāmawent
jagāma:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (गम् धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
gahanamdense
gahanam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootgahana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (वनम्)
vanamforest
vanam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
Speakers
Narrator within the Devi Mahatmyam frame
Key Themes
Renunciation by circumstanceForest as liminal spiritual spaceBeginning of seeker’s journey
FAQs
When social identity collapses, one may enter the ‘forest’ of self-inquiry; adversity becomes the doorway to wisdom.
Vaṃśānucarita as narrative prelude: the king’s exile sets up the dialogue that will reveal the Goddess’s nature and the causes of bondage/liberation.
The ‘hunt’ motif points to outward seeking; when sovereignty is lost, the seeker turns inward, entering the ‘dense forest’ of the psyche where the Guru appears.