Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

रौद्रः पुनर्वसुः पुष्यो नक्षत्रत्रितयं मुखे ।

पादे तु दक्षिणे देशाः क्रौष्टुके वदतः शृणु ॥

Transliteration

raudraḥ punarvasuḥ puṣyo nakṣatratritayaṃ mukhe / pāde tu dakṣiṇe deśāḥ krauṣṭuke vadataḥ śṛṇu

Translation

رَودرا (Raudra) وبونَرفاسو (Punarvasu) وبوشيا (Puṣya)—هذه الثلاثية من المنازل القمرية (nakṣatra) في منطقة الفم. والآن فاسمع، وأنا أتكلم، عن البلاد التي على القدم الجنوبية، في القِسم المسمّى كراوشتوكا (Krauṣṭuka).

Word by Word

• रौद्रः: Raudra (nakṣatra)
• रौद्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• पुनर्वसुः: Punarvasu (nakṣatra)
• पुनर्वसुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्वसु (प्रातिपदिक; पुनर् + वसु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (पुनः वसुः)

• पुष्यः: Puṣya (nakṣatra)
• पुष्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: the triad of nakṣatras
• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्रत्रितय (प्रातिपदिक; नक्षत्र + त्रितय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नक्षत्राणां त्रितयम्)

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पादे: in the foot
• पादे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• दक्षिणे: in the right (one)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पादे)

• देशाः: regions/countries
• देशाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• क्रौष्टुके: in Krauṣṭuka (context/section)
• क्रौष्टुके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौष्टुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in/at Krauṣṭuka)

• वदतः: of the speaker / while (I am) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष?—न; रूपं: वदतः = वद्-धातोः शतृ/शानच्-सम्भवः इति न; अत्र ‘वदतः’ = षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन/द्विवचन of present participle ‘वदत्’ (कृदन्त) used substantively: ‘of (me) speaking/while speaking’

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Prayojaka (प्रयोजक/Imperative to listener)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic exposition (speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmography
• Astral geography (nakṣatra mapping)
• Directional regional lists

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text integrates terrestrial space with celestial order (nakṣatras), reinforcing the Purāṇic principle that human habitation mirrors a larger cosmic rhythm.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna, with an astral-cosmographic sublayer (linking earth-divisions to nakṣatra groupings).

What is the esoteric significance?

Nakṣatra triads can function as ‘cosmic coordinates’: assigning regions to lunar stations suggests a ritual-astral grid where time (lunar motion) and space (directions/limbs) interlock.