Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 44

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

अनाख्यं षड्गुणाख्यञ्च वर्गाख्यं त्रिगुणाश्रयम् ।

नानाशक्तिमतामेकं शक्तिवैभविकं परम् ॥

Transliteration

anākhyaṃ ṣaḍguṇākhyañca vargākhyaṃ triguṇāśrayam /

nānāśaktimatāmekaṃ śaktivaibhavikaṃ param

Translation

आप अवर्णनीय हैं; फिर भी षड्गुणों द्वारा नामित की जाती हैं। समूहों में विभक्त, त्रिगुणों पर अधिष्ठित—तथापि अनेक शक्तियों में आप ही एक परम शक्ति हैं, जिनकी महिमा स्वयं शक्ति ही है।

Word by Word

• an-ākhyam: nameless; unexpressed
• an-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an (नञ्) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासः—‘आख्य-रहितम्’ (nameless/undefinable)

• ṣaṭ-guṇa-ākhyam: called ‘six-qualitied’
• ṣaṭ-guṇa-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘षड्गुणैः आख्यम्/षड्गुणाख्यम्’ (designated as having six qualities)

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

• varga-ākhyam: called a group/class
• varga-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varga (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘वर्ग इति आख्यम्’ (called a ‘class/group’)

• tri-guṇa-āśrayam: the support of the three guṇas
• tri-guṇa-āśrayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रिगुणानाम् आश्रयः’ (support/abode of the three guṇas)

• nānā-śakti-matām: of those with various powers
• nānā-śakti-matām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + mat (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘शक्तिमत्’ (possessing power) with nānā; used as genitive plural qualifier—‘नानाशक्तिमताम्’ (of those possessing various powers)

• ekam: one
• ekam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śakti-vaibhavikam: pertaining to the splendour of power
• śakti-vaibhavikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + vaibhavika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘शक्तेः वैभवम्’ तदनुगतं (pertaining to the magnificence of power)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Aśvatara (Nāga) praising Devī/Sarasvatī

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sarasvatī
• Devī

Shakti Aspects

• Śakti as source of guṇas and powers

Key Themes

• Guṇa theory
• Divine attributes
• Unity of powers
• Shaktism metaphysics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

All classificatory systems (guṇas, categories, attributes) are pointers; the Goddess exceeds them while also functioning through them. Practice-wise, it legitimizes multiple paths and vocabularies while affirming a single source.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supports sarga/pratisarga conceptually by locating the guṇa-based world-process in Devī’s śakti, though the verse itself is stuti within an upākhyāna.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Indescribable yet named’ signals mantra-logic: names and forms are operative veils of Śakti; realization is to see the many śaktis as one radiance.