Markandeya Purana — Chapter 27
MkP 27.1
एवमुल्लाप्यमानस्तु स तु मात्रा दिने दिने । ववृधे वयसा बालो बुद्ध्या चालर्कसंज्ञितः
evamullāpyamānastu sa tu mātrā dine dine / vavṛdhe vayasā bālo buddhyā cālarkasaṃjñitaḥ
Thus addressed by his mother day after day, the boy named Alarka grew in years and in understanding.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.2
स कौमारकमासाद्य ऋतध्वजसुतस्ततः । कृतोपनयनः प्राज्ञः प्रणिपत्याह मातरम्
sa kaumārakamāsādya ṛtadhvajasutastataḥ / kṛtopanayanaḥ prājñaḥ praṇipatyāha mātaram
Then that son of Ṛtadhvaja, having reached boyhood, his initiation performed, wise, bowed down and said to his mother:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.3
मया यदत्र कर्तव्यमैहिकामुष्मिकाय वै । सुखाय वद तत् सर्वं प्रश्रयावनतस्य मे
mayā yadatra kartavyamaihikāmuṣmikāya vai / sukhāya vada tat sarvaṃ praśrayāvanatasya me
"Tell me — bowed as I am in humility — all that is to be done by me here for happiness in this world and the next."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.4
वत्स ! राज्ये ऽभिषिक्तेन प्रजारञ्जनमादितः । कर्तव्यमविरोधेन स्वधर्मस्य महीभृता
vatsa ! rājye 'bhiṣiktena prajārañjanamāditaḥ / kartavyamavirodhena svadharmasya mahībhṛtā
Child, by a king consecrated in the kingdom the pleasing of the subjects is to be done first, without conflict with his own duty.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.5
व्यसनानि परित्यज्य सप्त मूलहराणि वै । आत्मा रिपुभ्यः संरक्ष्यो बहिर्मन्त्रविनिर्गमात्
vyasanāni parityajya sapta mūlaharāṇi vai / ātmā ripubhyaḥ saṃrakṣyo bahirmantravinirgamāt
Having abandoned the seven vices that destroy the root, he must guard himself from enemies and from the leaking out of counsel.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.6
अष्टधा नाशमाप्नोति सुचक्रात् स्यन्दनाद्यथा । तथा राजाप्यसन्दिग्धं बहिर्मन्त्रविनिर्गमात्
aṣṭadhā nāśamāpnoti sucakrāt syandanādyathā / tathā rājāpyasandigdhaṃ bahirmantravinirgamāt
Just as a chariot with a good wheel comes to ruin in eight ways, so too a king, without doubt, (comes to ruin) from the leaking out of counsel.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.7
दुष्टादुष्टांश्च जानीयादमात्यानरिदोषतः । चरैश्चरास्तथा शत्रोरन्वेष्टव्याः प्रयत्नतः
duṣṭāduṣṭāṃśca jānīyādamātyānaridoṣataḥ / caraiścarāstathā śatroranveṣṭavyāḥ prayatnataḥ
He should know which ministers are corrupt and which not corrupt by (their) contamination by the enemy; and the enemy's spies are to be tracked down diligently by (his own) spies.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.8
विश्वासो न तु कर्तव्यो राज्ञा मित्राप्तबन्धुषु । कार्ययोगादमित्रे ऽपि विश्वसीत नराधिपः
viśvāso na tu kartavyo rājñā mitrāptabandhuṣu / kāryayogādamitre 'pi viśvasīta narādhipaḥ
A king should not place trust in friends, allies and kinsmen; yet on account of some business a ruler of men may trust even an enemy.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.9
स्थानवृद्धिक्षयज्ञेन षाड्गुण्यगुणितात्माना । भवितव्यं नरेन्द्रेण न कामवशवर्तिना
sthānavṛddhikṣayajñena ṣāḍguṇyaguṇitātmānā / bhavitavyaṃ narendreṇa na kāmavaśavartinā
A lord of men must be a knower of stability, increase and decline, and one whose person is furnished with the six measures — not one who goes under the sway of desire.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.10
प्रागात्मा मन्त्रिणश्चैव ततो भृत्या महीभृता । जेयाश्चानन्तरं पौरा विरुध्येत ततो ऽरिभिः
prāgātmā mantriṇaścaiva tato bhṛtyā mahībhṛtā / jeyāścānantaraṃ paurā virudhyeta tato 'ribhiḥ
First himself, and the ministers, then the servants are to be conquered by a king, and next the townspeople; thereafter he may take up hostilities with his foes.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.11
यस्त्वेतानविजित्यैव वैरिणो विजिगीषते । सो ऽजितात्मा जितामात्यः शत्रुवर्गेण बाध्यते
yastvetānavijityaiva vairiṇo vijigīṣate / so 'jitātmā jitāmātyaḥ śatruvargeṇa bādhyate
But he who, without having conquered these, seeks to conquer his enemies — with himself unconquered and his ministers won over (by others), he is beset by the host of foes.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.12
तस्मात् कामादयः पूर्वं जेयाः पुत्र ! महीभुजा । तज्जये हि जयो ऽवश्यं राजा नश्यति तैर्जितः
tasmāt kāmādayaḥ pūrvaṃ jeyāḥ putra ! mahībhujā / tajjaye hi jayo 'vaśyaṃ rājā naśyati tairjitaḥ
Therefore, son, desire and the rest are first to be conquered by a king; for in conquering them victory is certain, while a king conquered by them perishes.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.13
कामः क्रोधश्च लोभश्च मदो मानस्तथैव च । हर्षश्च शत्रवो ह्येते विनाशाय महीभृताम्
kāmaḥ krodhaśca lobhaśca mado mānastathaiva ca / harṣaśca śatravo hyete vināśāya mahībhṛtām
Desire, anger, greed, intoxication, and likewise pride, and elation — these indeed are the enemies that bring about the destruction of kings.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.14
कामप्रसक्तमात्मानं स्मृत्वा पाण्डुं निपातितम् । निवर्तयेत्तथा क्रोधादनुह्रादं हतात्मजम्
kāmaprasaktamātmānaṃ smṛtvā pāṇḍuṃ nipātitam / nivartayettathā krodhādanuhrādaṃ hatātmajam
Recalling Pāṇḍu, who was brought down (through desire), he should turn himself back when attached to desire; and likewise (recalling) Anuhrāda, whose son was slain, (turn back) from anger.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.15
हतमैलं तथा लोभान्मदाद्वेनं द्विजैर्हतम् । मानादनायुषापुत्रं बलिं हर्षात् पुरञ्जयम्
hatamailaṃ tathā lobhānmadādvenaṃ dvijairhatam / mānādanāyuṣāputraṃ baliṃ harṣāt purañjayam
And (recalling) Aila slain through greed, Vena killed by the twice-born through intoxication, the son of Anāyus, Bali, through pride, and Purañjaya through elation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.16
एभिर्जितैर्जितं सर्वं मरुत्तेन महात्मना । स्मृत्वा विवर्जयेदेतान् दोषान् स्वीयान्महीपतिः
ebhirjitairjitaṃ sarvaṃ maruttena mahātmanā / smṛtvā vivarjayedetān doṣān svīyānmahīpatiḥ
And that by the great-souled Marutta, these being conquered, everything was conquered — remembering this, a king should cast off these faults of his own.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.17
काककोकिलभृङ्गाणां मृगव्यालशिखण्डिनाम् । हंसकुक्कुटलोहानां शिक्षेत चरित नृपः
kākakokilabhṛṅgāṇāṃ mṛgavyālaśikhaṇḍinām / haṃsakukkuṭalohānāṃ śikṣeta carita nṛpaḥ
A king should learn the conduct of crows, cuckoos and bees, of deer, snakes and peacocks, of geese, cocks and lohas.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.18
कीटकस्य क्रियां कुर्यात् विपक्षे मनुजेश्वरः । चेष्टां पिपीलिकानाञ्च काले भूपः प्रदर्शयेत्
kīṭakasya kriyāṃ kuryāt vipakṣe manujeśvaraḥ / ceṣṭāṃ pipīlikānāñca kāle bhūpaḥ pradarśayet
— tr. refused: cyber
MkP 27.19
ज्ञेयाग्निविस्फुलिङ्गानां बीजचेष्टा च शाल्मलेः । चन्द्रसूर्यस्वरूपेण नीत्यर्थे पृथिवीक्षिता
jñeyāgnivisphuliṅgānāṃ bījaceṣṭā ca śālmaleḥ / candrasūryasvarūpeṇa nītyarthe pṛthivīkṣitā
— tr. refused: cyber
MkP 27.20
बन्धकीपद्मशरभशूलिकागुर्विणीस्तनात् । प्रज्ञा नृपेण चादेया तथा गोपालयोषितः
bandhakīpadmaśarabhaśūlikāgurviṇīstanāt / prajñā nṛpeṇa cādeyā tathā gopālayoṣitaḥ
From the harlot, the lotus, the śarabha, the spear-bearer(?), and the breast of a pregnant woman the king should take his wisdom, and likewise from a cowherd's wife.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.21
शक्रार्कयमसोमानां तद्वद्वायोर्महीपतिः । रूपाणि पञ्च कुर्वोत महीपालनकर्मणि
śakrārkayamasomānāṃ tadvadvāyormahīpatiḥ / rūpāṇi pañca kurvota mahīpālanakarmaṇi
The lord of the earth should assume the five forms — those of Indra, the Sun, Yama, the Moon, and likewise of the Wind — in the work of protecting the earth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.22
यथेन्द्रश्चतुरो मासान् तोयोत्सर्गेण भूगतम् । आप्याययेत्तथा लोकं परिहारैर्महीपतिः
yathendraścaturo māsān toyotsargeṇa bhūgatam / āpyāyayettathā lokaṃ parihārairmahīpatiḥ
As Indra for four months, by releasing water, nourishes what is on the earth, so should the king (nourish) the world with exemptions (from taxes).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.23
मासानष्टौ यथा सूर्यस्तोयं हरति रश्मिभिः । सूक्ष्मेणैवाभ्युपायेन तथा शुल्कादिकं नृपः
māsānaṣṭau yathā sūryastoyaṃ harati raśmibhiḥ / sūkṣmeṇaivābhyupāyena tathā śulkādikaṃ nṛpaḥ
As the sun for eight months takes up water with its rays, so should the king (take) tolls and the like, by a subtle means alone.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.24
यथा यमः प्रियद्वेष्ये प्राप्तकाले नियच्छति । तथा प्रियाप्रिये राजा दुष्टादुष्टे समो भवेत्
yathā yamaḥ priyadveṣye prāptakāle niyacchati / tathā priyāpriye rājā duṣṭāduṣṭe samo bhavet
As Yama, when the time has come, restrains both the dear and the hated, so let the king be even-handed toward the dear and the undear, the wicked and the not-wicked.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.25
पूर्णेन्दुमालोक्य यथा प्रीतिमान् जायते नरः । एवं यत्र प्रजाः सर्वा निर्वत्तास्तच्छशिव्रतम्
pūrṇendumālokya yathā prītimān jāyate naraḥ / evaṃ yatra prajāḥ sarvā nirvattāstacchaśivratam
As a man becomes glad on beholding the full moon, so where all the subjects are content — that is the moon-vow.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 27.26
मारुतः सर्वभूतेषु निगूढश्चरते यथा । एवं नृपश्चरेच्चारैः पौरामात्यादिबन्धुषु
mārutaḥ sarvabhūteṣu nigūḍhaścarate yathā / evaṃ nṛpaścareccāraiḥ paurāmātyādibandhuṣu
As the wind moves hidden within all beings, so should a king move by means of his spies among the townsfolk, ministers and other associates.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.27
न लोभाद्वा न कामाद्वा नार्थाद्वा यस्य मानसम् । यथान्यैः कृष्यते वत्स ! स राजा स्वर्गमृच्छति
na lobhādvā na kāmādvā nārthādvā yasya mānasam / yathānyaiḥ kṛṣyate vatsa ! sa rājā svargamṛcchati
He whose mind cannot be dragged about by others — not through greed, nor through desire, nor for the sake of gain — that king, my child, goes to heaven.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.28
उत्पथग्राहिणो मूढान् स्वधर्माच्चलतो नरान् । यः करोति निजे धर्मे स राजा स्वर्गमृच्छति
utpathagrāhiṇo mūḍhān svadharmāccalato narān / yaḥ karoti nije dharme sa rājā svargamṛcchati
The king who sets in his own duty those men who are deluded, who take the wrong path, who stray from their own duty — that king attains heaven.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.29
वर्णधर्मा न सीदन्ति यस्य राज्ये तथाश्रमाः । वत्स ! तस्य सुखं प्रेत्य परत्रेह च शाश्वतम्
varṇadharmā na sīdanti yasya rājye tathāśramāḥ / vatsa ! tasya sukhaṃ pretya paratreha ca śāśvatam
In whose kingdom the duties of the classes do not decline, nor those of the (four) stages of life — for him, dear child, there is happiness after death, and lasting (happiness) in the other world and in this one.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 27.30
एतद्राज्ञः परं कृत्यं तथैतत् सिद्धिकारकम् । स्वधर्मस्थापनं नृणां चाल्यन्ते ये कुबुद्धिभिः
etadrājñaḥ paraṃ kṛtyaṃ tathaitat siddhikārakam / svadharmasthāpanaṃ nṛṇāṃ cālyante ye kubuddhibhiḥ
— tr. refused: cyber
MkP 27.31
पालनेनैव भूतानां कृतकृत्यो महीपतिः । सम्यक् पालयिता भागं धर्मस्याप्नोति यत्नतः
pālanenaiva bhūtānāṃ kṛtakṛtyo mahīpatiḥ / samyak pālayitā bhāgaṃ dharmasyāpnoti yatnataḥ
By the protection of beings alone the king has fulfilled his duty; one who protects rightly obtains, through (his) effort, a share of (their) dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition