Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 43

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

कुर्वोत तीर्थदेवौकश्चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु । नदीसङ्गमखातेषु स्त्रपनं तत्प्रशान्यते ॥

Transliteration

kurvota tīrthadevaukaś caityaparvatasānuṣu | nadīsaṅgamakhāteṣu strāpanaṃ tatpraśānyate ||

Translation

तीर्थों में, देवालयों में, मन्दिरों में, पर्वत-ढालों पर, तथा नदी-संगमों और पुण्य सरोवरों में स्नान/अभिषेक करने से वह (दोष) शान्त हो जाता है।

Word by Word

• कुर्वोत: do (you all)
• कुर्वोत: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; वैदिक/छान्दस रूप ‘कुर्वोत’ (= कुरुत)

• तीर्थदेवौकः: a sacred shrine/abode of the deity at a pilgrimage place
• तीर्थदेवौकः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + देव + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd; form identical), एकवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘तीर्थेषु देव-ओकः’ = shrine/abode of deity at a tīrtha

• चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु: on the slopes of sacred mountains
• चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्य + पर्वत + सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सानु), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘चैत्य-पर्वत-सानु’ = on the slopes of sacred/caitya mountains

• नदीसङ्गमखातेषु: in places/pits at river confluences
• नदीसङ्गमखातेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + सङ्गम + खात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (खात), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘नदी-सङ्गम-खात’ = pits/places at river confluences

• स्त्रपनम्: bathing/ablution
• स्त्रपनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रपन (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तृप्/स्त्रप् ‘to bathe/sprinkle’, भाव-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्तृविशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्त्रपनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रशान्यते: is pacified/ceases
• प्रशान्यते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः प्र-; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is pacified)

Speakers

• Dialogue frame not explicit in the excerpt; instructional voice describing śānti measures

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Tīrtha
• Śānti rites
• Purificatory bathing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purification is presented as both physical and moral: one seeks sacred space and disciplined practice to restore balance, emphasizing humility and reliance on dharmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This is ancillary dharma/vidhi material embedded in Purāṇic teaching, not one of the five core lakṣaṇas; it functions as ācāra (conduct/ritual).

What is the esoteric significance?

Confluences and high places symbolize junctions of energies; bathing signifies dissolving impurity (mala) and resetting one’s internal ‘flow’ to match sacred currents.