Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 16

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

शुभाशुभं समाचष्टे कुशैस्तस्याङ्गताडनम् ।

काकादिपक्षिसंस्थो 'न्यः श्वादेरङ्गगतो 'पि वा ॥

Transliteration

śubhāśubhaṃ samācaṣṭe kuśais tasyāṅga-tāḍanam | kākādi-pakṣi-saṃstho 'nyaḥ śvāder aṅga-gato 'pi vā ||

Translation

কুশাঘাস দিয়ে নিজের দেহে আঘাত লাগা শুভ বা অশুভের সূচক। আরেকটি অমঙ্গললক্ষণ কাক প্রভৃতি পাখির মধ্যে দেখা যায়; তেমনি কুকুর ইত্যাদির দেহস্পর্শও লক্ষণরূপে গণ্য।

Word by Word

• शुभाशुभम्: good and bad (omens)
• शुभाशुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—‘शुभं च अशुभं च’

• समाचष्टे: indicates; tells
• समाचष्टे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कुशैः: with kuśa grass
• कुशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अङ्गताडनम्: striking/tapping of the limb
• अङ्गताडनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + ताडन (प्रातिपदिक; √ताड् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘अङ्गस्य ताडनम्’ (striking of the limb)

• काकादिपक्षिसंस्थः: situated in birds like crows
• काकादिपक्षिसंस्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था + सम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘काकादि-पक्षिषु संस्थः’ (situated in/associated with birds like crows)

• अन्यः: another (one)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्वादेः: of a dog and the like
• श्वादेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘श्व-आदेः’ (of a dog etc.)

• अङ्गगतः: located in the limb
• अङ्गगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘अङ्गे गतः’ (gone to/located in the limb)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात—समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

Speakers

• Not explicit; cataloging omen-types.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Omens
• Śakuna (birds)
• Animal portents
• Ritual diagnostics (kuśa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic dharma often integrates folk-omen systems into a moral framework: signs are prompts for caution, purification, or timely action—not excuses for fatalism.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/ācāra material (supplementary).

What is the esoteric significance?

Kuśa is a purifier in Vedic rites; using it diagnostically implies that ritual purity and attentiveness can ‘read’ the subtle environment. Birds/animals symbolize instinctive nature reflecting unseen atmospheric (adhidaivika) shifts.