Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 20

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

Sanskrit

नक्षत्रत्रितयं पादमाश्रितं पूर्वदक्षिणम् ।

लङ्का कालाजिनाश्चैव शैलिका निकटास्तथा ॥

Transliteration

nakṣatratritayaṃ pādam āśritaṃ pūrvadakṣiṇam / laṅkā kālājināś caiva śailikā nikaṭās tathā

Translation

Una tríada de nakṣatras se asigna al pie del sudeste. (Allí están) Laṅkā, los Kālājinā, los Śailikā y, asimismo, los Nikaṭa.

Word by Word

• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: a triad of asterisms
• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'a triad of nakṣatras'

• पादम्: the quarter/section
• पादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• आश्रितम्: occupied/inhabited
• आश्रितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-śri (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with पादम्

• पूर्वदक्षिणम्: east-south (southeastern)
• पूर्वदक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva + dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व (directional) qualifying पादम्

• लङ्का: Laṅkā
• लङ्का: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• कालाजिनाः: Kālājinās
• कालाजिनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + ajina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: 'black-skinned/black-hide(-wearing) ones' (gentilic/tribal name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक अव्यय)

• शैलिकाः: Śailikas (mountain-dwellers)
• शैलिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śailika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• निकटाः: nearby/adjacent
• निकटाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying the peoples listed

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic exposition (speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmography
• Astral-terrestrial correspondence
• Regional catalogues

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Cosmic mapping here is a knowledge-system: it orders space through repeatable categories (direction, limb, nakṣatra), functioning like a sacred taxonomy.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Śailikā’ (mountain-associated) and similar labels suggest that terrain itself is a spiritual marker—elevation and direction become qualities within the cosmic body.