Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 55

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

Sanskrit

अस्यान्तर्गतमा यत्तं स्वरव्यञ्जनसंमितम् ।

तदशेषं मया दत्तं भवतः कंबलस्य च ॥

Transliteration

asyāntargatamāyattaṃ svaravyañjanasaṃmitam / tadaśeṣaṃ mayā dattaṃ bhavataḥ kambalasya ca

Translation

“Whatever is contained within this, dependent upon and measured by vowels and consonants—of that, the entirety has been given by me to you and to Kambala as well.”

Word by Word

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); Neuter/Masculine depending on referent

• antargatam: included/contained within
• antargatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antar + gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle (क्त/क्तवत् sense) from √gam with prefix antar; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• āyattam: dependent/pertaining
• āyattam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• svara-vyañjana-saṃmitam: measured by vowels and consonants
• svara-vyañjana-saṃmitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svara + vyañjana + saṃmita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘measured/defined by vowels and consonants’ (saṃmita from √mā with sam-, kta)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• aśeṣam: entire/without remainder
• aśeṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with tat

• 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), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन) agreeing with tat

• bhavataḥ: to you / of you
• bhavataḥ: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Honorific pronoun; Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• kambalasya: to/of Kambala
• kambalasya: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kambala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

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

Speakers

• Sarasvatī

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sarasvatī

Shakti Aspects

• Sarasvatī

Key Themes

• Śabda (sound) theology
• Grammar and music interface
• Completeness of instruction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Speech-structure (vowels/consonants) underlies refined culture; mastery requires comprehension of foundations, not only performance.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic narrative; not a direct sarga/manvantara/vaṃśa passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

By linking music to svara/vyañjana, the text hints that nāda and vāk are one continuum—cosmic sound crystallizing into articulated knowledge.