Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 11, Shloka 11

Adhyaya 11 — The Son’s Discourse on Embryogenesis, Birth, and the Wheel of Saṃsāra

Sanskrit

नाडी चाप्यायनी नाम नाभ्यां तस्य निबध्यते ।

स्त्रीणां तथान्त्रसुषिरे सा निबद्धोपजायते ॥

Transliteration

nāḍī cāpyāyanī nāma nābhyāṃ tasya nibadhyate / strīṇāṃ tathāntrasuṣire sā nibaddhopajāyate

Translation

A channel called “Āpyāyanī” is fastened to the navel; and in women it likewise arises, fastened within the hollow of the intestines.

Word by Word

• nāḍī: a tube/duct (vein-like channel)
• nāḍī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāḍī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-अर्थक अव्यय (particle: also/indeed)

• āpyāyanī: (a duct) named Āpyāyanī
• āpyāyanī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpyāyanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable usage meaning “by name/called”)

• nābhyām: by/with the two navels (navel-region)
• nābhyām: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• tasya: of him/its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• nibadhyate: is bound/fastened
• nibadhyate: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√bandh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• antra-suṣire: in the intestinal cavity
• antra-suṣire: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antra (प्रातिपदिक) + suṣira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: “intestine-cavity”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• sā: she/that (duct)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• nibaddhā: having been bound/fastened
• nibaddhā: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√bandh (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त/क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• upajāyate: arises/comes into being
• upajāyate: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa√jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Didactic narration within the Markandeya Purana’s instructional discourse (speaker not specified in supplied excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Embryology
• Nāḍī (conduit) and nourishment
• Mother-fetus dependence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse underlines interdependence: embodied life is sustained through connection to another’s body. Ethically, it supports reverence toward motherhood and gratitude for the conditions enabling life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic/medical-embryological aside; not a pañcalakṣaṇa element.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘nourishing nāḍī’ can be read symbolically as the subtle dependency of the jīva upon prāṇa and saṃskāra. Liberation is framed as cutting the ‘binding’ (nibandha) of dependence on conditioned supports.