Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 86, Shloka 8

Adhyaya 86 — Dhumralocana’s Mission and His Ashing by the Goddess; Shumbha Sends Chanda and Munda

Sanskrit

श्रीदेव्युवाच दैत्येश्वरेण प्रहितो बलवान् बलसंवृतः ।

बलान्नयासि मामेवं ततः किं ते करोम्यहम् ॥

Transliteration

śrīdevy uvāca daityeśvareṇa prahito balavān balasaṃvṛtaḥ /

balān nayāsi mām evaṃ tataḥ kiṃ te karomy aham

Translation

福徳の女神は言った。「ダイティヤの主に遣わされ、お前は強く、また強き者どもに囲まれている。もしそのように力ずくで私を連れ去ろうというのなら——私はお前に何をしてやろうか。」

Word by Word

• श्रीदेवी: the revered Goddess
• श्रीदेवी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-देवी (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + देवी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (honorific epithet)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √वच्

• दैत्येश्वरेण: by the lord of the demons
• दैत्येश्वरेण: करण/कर्ता (agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; दैत्य + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (genitive relation: ‘lord of demons’)

• प्रहितः: sent
• प्रहितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि; उपसर्ग: प्र-; √हि (to send/impel)

• बलवान्: powerful
• बलवान्: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बलसंवृतः: surrounded by an army
• बलसंवृतः: कर्ता-विशेषण (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल-संवृत (प्रातिपदिक; बल + संवृत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (covered/surrounded by forces)

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: हेतु/करण (cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ‘by force’ (ablative used adverbially)

• नयासि: you lead/carry away
• नयासि: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √नी

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb)

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (logical/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर (then)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• करोमि: shall I do
• करोमि: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; √कृ

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speakers

• Devī (Ambikā) speaking to Dhūmralocana

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "vīra", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Devī (Ambikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Ambikā (also addressed as Śrīdevī here as an honorific)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine challenge
• Courage
• Reversal of intimidation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Devī’s rhetorical question is not helplessness but sovereign assertion: unjust force invites consequence. Dharma is portrayed as active power that answers coercion with protection of order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A narrative unit within a didactic myth (devī-carita), used for moral instruction rather than cosmography or genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

When the higher Self (Devī) is threatened by compulsive drives (asura-force), it responds with clarity and decisive action—transforming the encounter into purification.