Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 54, Shloka 10

Adhyaya 54 — Cosmography of Jambudvipa: Continents, Oceans, Varshas, and Mount Meru

Sanskrit

द्वौ लक्षयोजनायामौ मध्ये तत्र महाचलौ ।

तयोर्दक्षिणतो यौ तु यौ तथोत्तरतो गिरी ॥

Transliteration

dvau lakṣa-yojanāyāmau madhye tatra mahācalau | tayor dakṣiṇato yau tu yau tathottarato girī ||

Translation

In the middle there are two great mountains, each two lakh yojanas in length. And the mountains that lie to their south, as well as those to their north—

Word by Word

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (महाचलौ)

• लक्षयोजनायामौ: having a length of a lakh yojanas
• लक्षयोजनायामौ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः (लक्ष-योजन-आयामः = length of a lakh yojanas)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in the middle’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• महाचलौ: two great mountains
• महाचलौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् अचलः)

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन

• दक्षिणतः: to the south (of)
• दक्षिणतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from the south / on the southern side’

• यौ: which two
• यौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• यौ: which two
• यौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; पुनरुक्ति (parallelism)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थक

• उत्तरतः: to the north (of)
• उत्तरतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय: ‘from the north / on the northern side’

• गिरी: two mountains
• गिरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप; सामान्यतः ‘गिरयः’ बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Unnamed Purāṇic narrator describing cosmic geography (frame-speakers not explicit in this excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Purāṇic Measurements

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text emphasizes proportion and relational placement (center, north, south), reflecting a dharmic ideal: actions and roles gain meaning within an ordered whole.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Part of 'Sthāna'—detailing the arrangement and measures of cosmic features.

What is the esoteric significance?

The central pair and their flanking ranges can be contemplated as polarities (centered stability with complementary forces), a common symbolic pattern in Indian cosmology.