Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 17, Shloka 10

Adhyaya 17 — The Birth of Atri’s Three Sons: Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa

Sanskrit

दुर्वासास्तमसोद्रिक्तो रुद्रांशः समजायत ।

इति पुत्रत्रयं तस्याः जज्ञे ब्रह्मेशवैष्णवम् ॥

Transliteration

durvāsāstamasodrikto rudrāṃśaḥ samajāyata |

iti putratrayaṃ tasyā jajñe brahmeśavaiṣṇavam ||

Translation

Durvāsā was born, abounding in tamas, as a portion of Rudra. Thus, for her (Anasūyā), a triad of sons was born—of Brahmā, Īśa (Śiva), and Viṣṇu (aspects).

Word by Word

• दुर्वासाः: Durvāsā (sage)
• दुर्वासाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तमसः: of darkness (tamas)
• तमसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्रिक्तः: abounding (in)
• उद्रिक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-रिक्त (कृदन्त; उद्-√रिच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; ‘increased/abounding’

• रुद्रांशः: a portion of Rudra
• रुद्रांशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: रुद्रस्य अंशः

• समजायत: was born/arose
• समजायत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक

• पुत्रत्रयम्: a triad of sons (three sons)
• पुत्रत्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: त्रयः पुत्राः (a set of three sons)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जज्ञे: was born
• जज्ञे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ब्रह्मेशवैष्णवम्: (of the nature of) Brahmā, Īśa, and Viṣṇu
• ब्रह्मेशवैष्णवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + ईश + वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (समाहार): ब्रह्म-ईश-वैष्णव (Brahmā, Īśa, Viṣṇu-related)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (Purāṇic narrator within the Markandeya Purana’s ongoing discourse; not Devi Māhātmya)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Durvāsā
• Rudra/Śiva
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Anasūyā

Key Themes

• Trimūrti theology
• Guṇa theory (tamas)
• Genealogy
• Divine portions (aṃśa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Diversity of temperament (sattva/rajas/tamas) is integrated into sacred cosmology: even tamas has a cosmic role when aligned with divine function (Rudra’s corrective power).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita: lineage of Atri–Anasūyā culminating in the celebrated triad (Soma, Dattātreya, Durvāsā) mapped to Trimūrti principles.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘three sons’ encode a psycho-cosmic triad: creative intelligence (Brahmā), sustaining clarity (Viṣṇu), and transformative/consuming force (Rudra), mirrored as guṇa-dominant manifestations.