Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 92, Shloka 35

Adhyaya 92 — Devi’s Assurance of Protection and the Fruits of Reciting the Devi Mahatmyam

Sanskrit

व्याप्तं तयैतत्सकलं ब्रह्माण्डं मनुजेश्वर ।

महाकाल्या महाकाले महाकारिस्वरूपया ॥

Transliteration

vyāptaṃ tayaitatsakalaṃ brahmāṇḍaṃ manujeśvara / mahākālyā mahākāle mahākārī-svarūpayā

Translation

हे नराधिप, महाकाल के महान् समय में महाकाली—महाकर्त्री-रूप से—इस समस्त ब्रह्माण्ड-अण्ड को, चराचर सहित, व्याप्त करके परिपूर्ण कर देती हैं।

Word by Word

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded
• व्याप्तम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + आप् (धातु) → व्याप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; ‘ब्रह्माण्डम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम; ‘सकलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; विशेषण

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmic egg/universe
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः अण्डम्)

• मनुजेश्वर: O lord of men
• मनुजेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मनुजानाम् ईश्वरः)

• महाकाल्या: by Mahākālī
• महाकाल्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महती काली)

• महाकाले: in great Time / at the great time
• महाकाले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (महान् कालः)

• महाकारि-स्वरूपया: by (her) whose form is that of the great doer/agent
• महाकारि-स्वरूपया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महाकारिणः स्वरूपम् यस्याः/या)

Speakers

• Narrative voice addressing the king

Primary Deities

• Devī (Mahākālī)

Shakti Aspects

• ['Mahākālī'
• 'Time (Kāla) as Devī']

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Cosmic pervasion
• Time (kāla)
• Mahākālī theology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divinity is not confined to a single shrine or event: Devī is presented as the very pervasion of the cosmos, especially evident in ‘great time’—moments of irreversible change that humble all claims of control.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Cosmological framing relates to Sarga/Sthiti/Pralaya as a triad governed by the same power; ‘mahākāla’ gestures toward Pralaya-time even if not fully described here.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mahākālī as ‘great time’ indicates that transformation, decay, and renewal are sacred operations; fear of time is transmuted into reverence when time itself is recognized as śakti.