Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
मृकण्डुरुवाच । नमः परेशाय परात्मरुपिणे परात्परस्प्रात्परतः पराय । अपारपाराय परानुकर्त्रे नमः परेभ्यः परपारणाय ॥ ८३ ॥
mṛkaṇḍuruvāca | namaḥ pareśāya parātmarupiṇe parātparasprātparataḥ parāya | apārapārāya parānukartre namaḥ parebhyaḥ parapāraṇāya || 83 ||
Mṛkaṇḍu berkata: Sembah sujud kepada Tuhan Tertinggi, yang berwujud Sang Ātman Mahatinggi—melampaui yang tertinggi, melampaui segala yang melampaui. Sembah sujud kepada Dia yang ‘seberang’-Nya tak terjangkau, yang menuntun makhluk menuju Yang Mahatinggi; sembah sujud kepada Yang Transenden di atas segala transendensi, Sang Penyeberang ke pantai seberang.
Mṛkaṇḍu
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It is a compact Vedāntic-styled hymn identifying the Lord as Paramātman—utterly transcendent and the sole power who enables crossing beyond saṃsāra to liberation (the ‘further shore’).
Bhakti appears here as stuti (praise) and śaraṇāgati (taking refuge): the devotee bows to the Supreme as the guide who leads beings to the Highest, implying reliance on divine grace rather than mere self-effort.
The verse primarily functions as a devotional stotra rather than a technical Vedāṅga lesson; its practical takeaway is mantra-like usage in japa/pūjā as a concise praise invoking the Lord as Paramātman and mokṣa-dātā (giver of liberation).