Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 17, Shloka 19

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

Sanskrit

दिव्ये वर्षशते पूर्णे यदा ते न त्यजन्ति तम् ।

तत्प्रीत्या सरसस्तीरे सर्वे मुनिकुमारकाः ॥

Transliteration

divye varṣaśate pūrṇe yadā te na tyajanti tam | tatprītyā sarasas tīre sarve munikumārakāḥ ||

Translation

When a full hundred divine years had passed and they still did not abandon him, then, out of affection for them, all those sages’ boys remained at the lakeside (as the story continues).

Word by Word

• दिव्ये: divine
• दिव्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of 'varṣaśate')

• वर्षशते: in (the period of) a hundred years
• वर्षशते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; (varṣāṇāṃ śatam) 'a hundred years'

• पूर्णे: completed, fulfilled
• पूर्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with 'varṣaśate')

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/temporal link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal conjunction/adverb)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• त्यजन्ति: they abandon/leave
• त्यजन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्प्रीत्या: out of love for him
• तत्प्रीत्या: Hetu (हेतु; cause/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; (tasya prītyā) 'out of affection for him'

• सरसः: of the lake
• सरसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of 'munikumārakāḥ')

• मुनिकुमारकाः: the sage-boys
• मुनिकुमारकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + kumāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (muneḥ kumārakāḥ) 'boys/sons of sages'

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Purana’s rishi-to-rishi discourse (exact frame-speaker not explicit in these standalone verses)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya

Key Themes

• Devotion tested over time
• Purāṇic time (divya-varṣa)
• Patience
• Grace responding to steadfastness

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Endurance over ‘divine’ time magnifies the ideal of unwavering commitment. The narrative implies that grace (prīti/anugraha) is drawn forth by sustained sincerity, not quick demand.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Touches Manvantara-style sensibility by using divine time-reckoning, but functionally remains Ākhyāna (didactic narrative) under Vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Hundred divine years’ symbolizes maturation: deep saṃskāras do not dissolve instantly. The teacher’s response comes when the disciple’s resolve stabilizes beyond ordinary time-consciousness.