Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 81, Shloka 61

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

खड्गिनी शूलिनी घोरा गदिनी चक्रिणी तथा ।

शङ्खिनी चापिनी बाणभुशुण्डी परिघायुधा ॥

Transliteration

khaḍginī śūlinī ghorā gadinī cakriṇī tathā | śaṅkhinī cāpinī bāṇa-bhuśuṇḍī parighāyudhā ||

Translation

You are the sword-bearing one, the trident-bearing one—terrible; the mace-bearer and likewise the discus-bearer; the conch-bearing one, the bow-bearing one; the wielder of arrows and the bhuśuṇḍī, and the one whose weapon is the iron club (parigha).

Word by Word

• खड्गिनी: sword-bearing
• खड्गिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त/प्रातिपदिक ‘-इन्’ (possessive: ‘having a sword’) used as epithet

• शूलिनी: trident-bearing
• शूलिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a trident/spear’

• घोरा: terrible, fierce
• घोरा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गदिनी: mace-bearing
• गदिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a mace’

• चक्रिणी: discus-bearing
• चक्रिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a discus’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘also/likewise’

• शङ्खिनी: conch-bearing
• शङ्खिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्खिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a conch’

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

• आपिनी: bow-bearing
• आपिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a bow’ (चापिन्/आपिन्)

• बाणभुशुण्डी: the weapon ‘bāṇa-bhuśuṇḍī’
• बाणभुशुण्डी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणभुशुण्डी = बाण + भुशुण्डी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; weapon-name (a kind of missile/club)

• परिघायुधा: armed with a parigha (iron club)
• परिघायुधा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिघायुधा = परिघ + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-सदृशार्थे तत्त्पुरुष-प्रयोग: ‘whose weapon is a club/iron bar (parigha)’

Speakers

• Brahmā to Devī

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Devī
• Brahmā

Shakti Aspects

• Martial Devī; protective warrior aspect (Chāṇḍikā/Durgā-like iconography implied)

Key Themes

• Protection of cosmic order
• Devī’s martial iconography
• Destruction of evil (adharma)
• Shaktism

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divine compassion includes protection: the same supreme Mother who grants virtues also confronts forces that threaten order—suggesting that firmness against adharma is itself sacred.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative-theological support for sustaining the world (sthiti) by defeating disruptive forces; it complements Sarga/Pratisarga by emphasizing preservation through divine intervention.

What is the esoteric significance?

Weapons can be read as inner powers: sword as discernment, trident as mastery over guṇas, discus as concentrated will, bow/arrow as focused intention—Devī as the integrated force of spiritual discipline.