Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 63

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

परस्पराभिरक्षा च ग्रहादौस्थ्येन जायते ।

एतेभ्य एव विप्रेन्द्र ! शुभहानिस्तथाशुभैः ॥

Transliteration

parasparābhirakṣā ca grahādausthyena jāyate / etebhya eva viprendra śubhahānis tathāśubhaiḥ //

Translation

When the planets and the like are in an unfavorable condition, mutual protection among people arises. From those very configurations, O best of Brahmins, there comes loss of what is auspicious, and likewise harm through inauspicious influences.

Word by Word

• paraspara-ābhirakṣā: mutual protection
• paraspara-ābhirakṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक) + ābhirakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'परस्परस्य आभिरक्षा'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• graha-adausthyena: by the planets' ill-disposition
• graha-adausthyena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक) + adausthya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'ग्रहाणाम् अदौस्थ्येन'

• jāyate: arises/is produced
• jāyate: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• etebhyaḥ: from these
• etebhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (contextual pronoun), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Abl. 5), बहुवचन (pl.)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• vipra-indra: O best of Brahmins
• vipra-indra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.); कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः: 'विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः'

• śubha-hāniḥ: loss of auspiciousness
• śubha-hāniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + hāni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'शुभस्य हानिः'

• tathā: likewise/so
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: 'so, likewise')

• aśubhaiḥ: by inauspicious (factors)
• aśubhaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.) (used substantively), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), बहुवचन (pl.)

Speakers

• Not explicit in provided excerpt (instructional narrative voice addressing a brahmin: 'viprendra')

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Cosmology
• Omens
• Grahapīḍā
• Śānti rites

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Social cohesion and mutual safeguarding are emphasized as practical responses during periods of perceived cosmic/astrological adversity; one should protect community welfare when ‘graha’ conditions are adverse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/ācāra material (not directly one of the five: sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita), but commonly embedded in Purāṇas as upadeśa (instruction) supporting dharma.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Graha’ can be read as inner compulsions that ‘seize’ the mind; when these are disordered, auspicious qualities decline—hence the need for conscious restraint and protective ethics.