Shloka 57

Adhyaya 49 — Primordial Human Creation, the Rise of Desire, and the Origins of Settlements, Measures, and Agriculture

Sanskrit

वार्तास्वसाधिता ह्यन्या वृष्टिस्तासां निकामतः ।

तासां वृष्ट्युदकानीह यानि निम्नगतानि वै ॥

Transliteration

vārtāsvasādhitā hyanyā vṛṣṭis tāsāṃ nikāmataḥ /

tāsāṃ vṛṣṭy-udakānīha yāni nimna-gatāni vai //

Translation

Then other rains occurred as desired, duly brought about through husbandry and cultivation. From those rains, the waters that flowed down into the low-lying depressions were gathered.

Word by Word

• vārtāsu: in livelihoods/occupations
• vārtāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārttā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• asādhitā: not accomplished/unsuccessful
• asādhitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√sādh (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic/causal sense

• anyā: another
• anyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vṛṣṭiḥ: rainfall
• vṛṣṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāsām: of those (women/people)
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nikāmataḥ: as desired; abundantly
• nikāmataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nikāma (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Adverbial formation with -tas (तस्), meaning 'as desired/at will'

• tāsām: of those
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vṛṣṭi-udakāni: rain-waters
• vṛṣṭi-udakāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा) or Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) 'rain-water'

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• yāni: which
• yāni: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nimna-gatāni: gone into low places
• nimna-gatāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nimna (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (गम्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Plural (बहुवचन); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त 'gone'; तत्पुरुष 'gone to low-lying places'

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/assurance

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Markandeya Purana (frame not explicit in given excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Ecology
• Origins of agriculture
• Sustenance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Sustenance is shown as a cooperative order: rainfall and fertility are not random but connected to right activity (vārttā) and the larger cosmic arrangement. Human livelihood is portrayed as aligned with, not separate from, natural cycles.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Sarga (creation/evolution of the world’s functional systems) and, secondarily, Poṣaṇa (nourishment/sustenance), since it explains how water distribution supports life.

What is the esoteric significance?

Water descending into ‘nimna’ (lows) symbolizes prāṇa/śakti consolidating into receptacles; fertility arises when diffuse potential is collected and retained in suitable ‘containers’ (kṣetra).