Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 33

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म विश्वञ्चैतत् क्षरात्मकम् ।

दारुण्यवस्थितो वह्निर्भौमाश्च परमाणवः ॥

Transliteration

akṣaraṃ paramaṃ brahma viśvaṃ caitat kṣarātmakam | dāruṇy avasthito vahnir bhaumāś ca paramāṇavaḥ ||

Translation

The supreme Brahman is imperishable, while this entire universe is of perishable nature. As fire abides in wood, so too the atomic particles (earthly atoms) abide as the subtle basis of the manifested world.

Word by Word

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. singular); ब्रह्मणः विशेषण-रूपेण (as predicate/apposition)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; विशेषण qualifying ब्रह्म

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative singular)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative singular)

• क्षर-आत्मकम्: of perishable nature
• क्षर-आत्मकम्: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-भाव: ‘क्षरस्य आत्मा यस्य’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण qualifying विश्वम्/एतत्

• दारुण्य-अवस्थितः: situated in wood (as fuel)
• दारुण्य-अवस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: ‘दारुण्ये अवस्थितः’), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण qualifying वह्निः

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative singular)

• भौमाः: earthly
• भौमाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative plural); विशेषण qualifying परमाणवः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• परमाणवः: atoms
• परमाणवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative plural)

Speakers

• Hymn addressed to Devi

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devi (Mahadevi)

Shakti Aspects

• Devi as Akshara-Brahman underlying Kshara-prakriti

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Vedanta-like akṣara/kṣara distinction
• Cosmology
• Elemental symbolism
• Immanence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The perishable cosmos is not denied, but grounded in an imperishable absolute. Ethically, this encourages detachment from the transient while maintaining reverence for the world as a manifestation supported by the divine.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supports 'Sarga/Pratisarga' conceptually by describing the relationship between the unchanging principle and the changing universe—an ontological frame for creation narratives.

What is the esoteric significance?

The fire-in-wood metaphor indicates latent divinity/power within matter. In Shakta reading, Śakti is both the hidden potency (vahni) and the manifest world-process (kṣara).