Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 74, Shloka 52

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

श्रुत्वा तत् सकलं सोऽपि समाराध्य च भारस्करम् ।

अवाच दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि ससंहाराण्यशेषतः ॥

Transliteration

śrutvā tat sakalaṃ so 'pi samārādhya ca bhāraskaram / avāca divyānyastrāṇi sasaṃhārāṇyaśeṣataḥ

Translation

Having heard all of that, he too worshipped Bhāraskara (the Sun) and obtained in full the divine weapons, together with the methods for withdrawing and recalling them.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Having done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; agrees with तत्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘also/even’ (particle)

• समाराध्य: having propitiated
• समाराध्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Having done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भारस्करम्: Bhāraskara (a person/deity)
• भारस्करम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of propitiation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; proper name/title

• अवाच: spoke / uttered
• अवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिव्यानि: divine
• दिव्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; agrees with अस्त्राणि

• अस्त्राणि: weapons (missiles)
• अस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• स-संहाराणि: together with their retraction (recall)
• स-संहाराणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक-पूर्वपद) + संहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सह/युक्त) भाव: ‘with their withdrawal/recall’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agrees with अस्त्राणि

• अशेषतः: completely
• अशेषतः: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner adverb ‘completely/without remainder’

Speakers

• Markandeya narrating; embedded heroic episode

Primary Deities

• Surya (Bhāraskara)

Key Themes

• Tapas and worship
• Divine boons
• Kshatriya preparedness
• Astra-vidyā (science of weapons)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Power is legitimized through disciplined propitiation and complete knowledge (including restraint). The mention of ‘withdrawal’ emphasizes responsible use of force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Within Vaṃśānucarita supporting Manvantara: heroic and ritual acts explain how a lineage becomes qualified to rule and inaugurate/characterize an era.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sūrya symbolizes clarity and authority; receiving astras with saṃhāra signifies mastery over both projection (pravṛtti) and withdrawal (nivṛtti) of energies.