Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 29

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

ततः प्रथमेवाग्रे शरशक्त्यृष्टिवृष्टिभिः ।

ववर्षुरुद्धतामर्षास्तां देवीं अमरारयः ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ prathamam evāgre śara-śakty-ṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭibhiḥ /

vavarṣur uddhatāmarṣās tāṃ devīm amarārayaḥ //

Translation

तब आरम्भ ही में देवताओं के शत्रु, दर्पित और क्रुद्ध होकर, उस देवी पर बाणों, शक्तियों और तोमर-भालों की वर्षा करने लगे।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्/ततः = ‘thereupon/then’ (ablatival adverb)

• प्रथमे: at the first (moment)
• प्रथमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular); adverbial locative ‘at first’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/निपात)

• अग्रे: in front/at the outset
• अग्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; ‘अग्रे’ = ‘in front/at the outset’ (locative used adverbially)

• शर-शक्ति-ऋष्टि-वृष्टिभिः: with showers of arrows, spears, lances
• शर-शक्ति-ऋष्टि-वृष्टिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara + śakti + ṛṣṭi + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) ‘वृष्टि’ प्रधान; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural); instrumental ‘with showers of …’; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• ववर्षुः: they rained down
• ववर्षुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• उद्धत-अमर्षाः: arrogant and enraged
• उद्धत-अमर्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uddhata (प्रातिपदिक) + amarṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारयः ‘fierce (and) wrathful’ qualifying subject

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवीम्: the goddess
• देवीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to ‘ताम्’

• अमर-अरयः: enemies of the gods (demons)
• अमर-अरयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘enemies of the immortals’

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam (framed in the Markandeya Purana’s discourse tradition)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Chāṇḍikā/Durgā)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī/Chāṇḍikā (battle-form; leading the Mātṛkā host)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine warfare
• Protection of the devas
• Courage against adharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma typically assaults first with force and intimidation; the verse sets the moral stage for steadfastness—divine (and righteous) composure is tested immediately at the outset of conflict.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage is not a pancalakṣaṇa (sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita) unit; it belongs to vaṃśānucarita-style narrative material (heroic episode) within the Purāṇic teaching corpus.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘rain of weapons’ symbolizes the barrage of sense-pressures and hostile vāsanās that strike first; Devī represents awakened śakti that can meet multiplicity without fragmentation.