Shloka 5

Adhyaya 42 — Dattatreya on the Yogic Import of Oṃ (Praṇava): Matras, Worlds, and Liberation

Sanskrit

निर्गुणा योगिगम्यान्या चार्धमात्रोर्ध्वसंस्थिता ।

गान्धारीति च विज्ञेया गान्धारस्वरसंश्रया ॥

Transliteration

nirguṇā yogigamyānyā cārdhamātrordhvasaṃsthitā /

gāndhārīti ca vijñeyā gāndhārasvarasaṃśrayā

Translation

تلك «نصفُ الماترا» منزّهةٌ عن الصفات، ولا ينالها إلا اليوغيون؛ فهي قائمةٌ فوق المراتب الصوتية المألوفة باسم «أردها-ماترا». ويُعرَفُ أنها «غاندهاري»، مستندةٌ إلى النغمة الموسيقية «غاندهارا».

Word by Word

• निर्गुणा: without qualities; attributeless
• निर्गुणा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); निः+गुण = गुणरहित (privative)

• योगि-गम्या: attainable by yogins
• योगि-गम्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिन् + गम्य (प्रातिपदिक; गम्य = √गम् धातु से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: योगिनां गम्या (attainable/knowable by yogins)

• अन्या: other; distinct
• अन्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्ध-मात्र-ऊर्ध्व-संस्थिता: situated above the half-mora
• अर्ध-मात्र-ऊर्ध्व-संस्थिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्ध + मात्रा + ऊर्ध्व + संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; संस्थित = √स्था धातु से क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: (अर्धमात्रायाः ऊर्ध्वे) संस्थिता = situated above the half-mora

• गान्धारी: (the note) Gāndhārī
• गान्धारी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus; as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-बोधक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विज्ञेया: to be known/recognized
• विज्ञेया: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा धातु से तव्यत्/य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-कर्तव्यता: ‘ज्ञातव्या’ (to be known)

• गान्धार-स्वर-संश्रया: resting on the Gāndhāra note
• गान्धार-स्वर-संश्रया: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गान्धार + स्वर + संश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; संश्रय = √श्रि/श्रय् ‘आश्रय’ भाव)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गान्धारस्वरस्य संश्रया = resting on the Gāndhāra note

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided extract (didactic narration within Markandeya Purana’s philosophical instruction)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Praṇava (Oṁ)
• Nāda
• Phonetics (mātrā)
• Upāsanā

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The teaching emphasizes that the subtlest aspect of Oṁ (the ardha-mātrā) is beyond ordinary sensory grasp and is realized through disciplined yogic practice rather than mere recitation—urging inward refinement over external form.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily connected to Dharma/Upāsanā and tattva-instruction rather than sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita; it is a philosophical-yogic excursus within the Purāṇic teaching style.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘ardha-mātrā’ points to the turīya-like transcendence beyond A-U-M. Naming it ‘Gāndhārī’ and linking it to a svara encodes the doctrine that inner realization is a refined ‘nāda’ ascent—sound as a ladder to the attributeless.