Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 81, Shloka 77

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

Sanskrit

ऋषिरुवाच तथेत्युक्त्वा भगवता शङ्ख-चक्र-गदाभृता ।

कृत्वा चक्रेण वै छिन्नॆ जघने शिरसी तयोः ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣir uvāca tathety uktvā bhagavatā śaṅkha-cakra-gadābhṛtā | kṛtvā cakreṇa vai chinne jaghane śirasī tayoḥ ||

Translation

ऋषि बोले: 'तथास्तु' (ऐसा ही हो) कहकर, शंख, चक्र और गदा धारण करने वाले भगवान ने उन दोनों के सिर अपनी जांघों पर रखकर चक्र से काट दिए।

Word by Word

• ṛṣiḥ: the sage
• ṛṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वचने)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• tathā: so/thus
• tathā: Vakyopasamhara (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (रीतिवाचक-अव्यय)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakyopasamhara (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वचने)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा): 'having said'

• bhagavatā: by the Lord
• bhagavatā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-bhṛtā: by the bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-bhṛtā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √bhṛ धारणे, क्त/तृच्-आधारित)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'by him who bears conch, discus, and mace' (qualifies bhagavatā)

• kṛtvā: having made/done
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (करणे)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा): 'having done/made'

• cakreṇa: with the discus
• cakreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• chinne: when (they were) cut off
• chinne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √chid छेदने, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Dual (द्विवचन); PPP used in locative absolute-like construction with 'jaghane śirasī'

• jaghane: at the two hips/buttocks
• jaghane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Dual (द्विवचन)

• śirasī: at the two heads
• śirasī: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Dual (द्विवचन)

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)

Speakers

• Ṛṣi (narrator) describing Viṣṇu’s act

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu

Shakti Aspects

• Mahāmāyā (indirectly: the divine power enabling the resolution)

Key Themes

• Fulfillment of boon-conditions
• Divine ingenuity
• Protection of cosmic order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is upheld without violating truth: the Lord honors the exact condition while removing the threat—showing that righteousness includes precision and integrity.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic myth embedded in Manvantara narration; functions as an illustrative ‘ākhyāna’ rather than direct sarga/pratisarga genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘thighs’ signify a liminal support between above and below—neither earth nor water—indicating a transcendental standpoint from which Māyā-bound constraints are resolved.