Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 54

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

Sanskrit

यदित्रयं तथाऽतोद्यं मया दत्तं चतुर्विधम् ।

एतद्भवान् मत्प्रसादात् पन्नगेन्द्रापरं च यत् ॥

Transliteration

yaditrayaṃ tathā'todyaṃ mayā dattaṃ caturvidham / etadbhavān matprasādāt pannagendrāparañca yat

Translation

“The triad, and also the fourfold musical instruments (ātodya), have been bestowed by me. By my grace you shall know this, and also whatever pertains to the other Nāga-lord.”

Word by Word

• yadi-trayam: the triad (yadi-traya)
• yadi-trayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadi + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu ‘a triad of yadi/if’ (contextual technical term)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• atodyam: musical instrument(s)
• atodyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atodya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• dattam: given
• dattam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → datta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); predicative ‘given’

• catur-vidham: fourfold
• catur-vidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies the given item(s)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavān: you (honored)
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Honorific pronoun; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mat-prasādāt: from my grace
• mat-prasādāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); ‘from/through my grace’

• pannagendra-aparam: the other (apart from) Pannagendra
• pannagendra-aparam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pannagendra + apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ‘other than/next to the lord of serpents’

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

• yat: which/that
• yat: Anuyogin (अनुयोगी/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Sarasvatī

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sarasvatī

Shakti Aspects

• Sarasvatī

Key Themes

• Classification of instruments
• Transmission of śāstra
• Grace as empowerment

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Arts are treated as a legitimate domain of dharma: they can be ‘given’ and conserved through right lineages, not treated as mere entertainment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Encyclopedic cultural teaching within narrative; not a core pancalakṣaṇa enumeration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Instrumental categories suggest that manifestation (nāda) diversifies into forms, yet remains rooted in a single source—Sarasvatī as the power of ordered expression.