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Shloka 10

Adhyaya 84The Gods’ Hymn after the Slaying of Mahishasura and the Goddess’ Boon

शब्दात्मिका सुविमलर्ग्यजुषां निधानमुद्गीथरम्यपदपाठवतां च साम्नाम् । देवी त्रयी भगवती भवभावनाय वार्ता च सर्वजगतां परमार्तिहन्त्री ॥

śabdātmikā suvimalargyajuṣāṃ nidhānam udgītharamyapadapāṭhavatāṃ ca sāmnām / devī trayī bhagavatī bhavabhāvanāya vārtā ca sarvajagatāṃ paramārtihantrī

Du bist die Seele des Klanges, die Schatzkammer des makellosen Ṛg- und Yajur-Veda sowie der Sāman-Hymnen mit ihrem wonnigen Vortrag des Udgītha. Du bist die Göttin, die Verkörperung der drei Veden (Trayī), die Gesegnete, bestimmt zur Erhaltung des Daseins. Du bist Vārtā (die Wissenschaft von Landwirtschaft und Ökonomie) und die höchste Vernichterin des Schmerzes aller Welten.

śabda-ātmikāconsisting of sound (verbal)
śabda-ātmikā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśabda + ātmikā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: śabdaḥ ātmā yasyāḥ (consisting of sound/word)
su-vimala-ṛg-yajuṣāmof the very pure Ṛg and Yajus
su-vimala-ṛg-yajuṣām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsu + vimala + ṛc + yajuṣ (प्रातिपदik)
FormFeminine, Genitive (6th), Plural; karmadhāraya: suvimale (very pure) ṛg-yajuṣī; here genitive plural ‘of the pure Ṛg and Yajus (Vedas)’
nidhānamtreasury, repository
nidhānam:
Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधानीय/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootnidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate noun
udgītha-ramya-pada-pāṭha-vatāmof those who possess the charming udgītha and pada-recitation
udgītha-ramya-pada-pāṭha-vatām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootudgītha + ramya + pada + pāṭha + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; tatpuruṣa chain: udgīthena ramyaḥ, pada-pāṭhaḥ, tadvatām (those possessing/knowing)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction
sāmnāmof the Sāmans (Sāma-veda chants)
sāmnām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsāman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Genitive (6th), Plural
devīthe Goddess
devī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdevī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
trayīthe Vedic triad
trayī:
Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधानीय/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Roottrayī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘the triad (of Vedas)’ used as predicate/apposition
bhagavatīthe Blessed (Goddess)
bhagavatī:
Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधानीय/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
bhava-bhāvanāyafor the bringing-forth of existence
bhava-bhāvanāya:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
TypeNoun
Rootbhava + bhāvanā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: bhavasya bhāvanā (bringing into being)
vārtāspeech, utterance
vārtā:
Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधानीय/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootvārtā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; predicate noun ‘speech/utterance’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction
sarva-jagatāmof all worlds
sarva-jagatām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva + jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Genitive (6th), Plural; karmadhāraya: sarvaṃ jagat
parama-ārti-hantrīdestroyer of supreme distress
parama-ārti-hantrī:
Pradhāna-nāma (प्रधानीय/विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootparama + ārti + hantrī (प्रातिपदिक; √han + तृच्)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: paramāṃ ārtiṃ hanti iti
Indra and the Devas addressing the Goddess
DeviIndraAgniDevas
Mahalakshmi (Presiding deity of the Madhyama Charitra)Saraswati (implied by Vedic association)
ShaktismVedic AuthorityCosmologyStutiDharma

FAQs

This verse establishes the Goddess as the source of both Para Vidya (transcendent spiritual knowledge, represented by the three Vedas or Trayi) and Apara Vidya (material knowledge and sustenance, represented by Varta/Economics). She is the totality of existence, sustaining the soul through scripture and the body through agriculture.

This verse occurs within the Manvantara section of the Markandeya Purana. Specifically, it details the events of the Savarni Manvantara, illustrating the cosmic battles that define the epoch and the glorification of the deity who ensures the continuity of Dharma.

The epithet 'Shabdatmika' identifies the Devi as the Shabda Brahman—the primordial cosmic vibration or sound. Before the Vedas existed as texts, they existed as sound/vibration within Her consciousness. She is the root of all language and mantra.