Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 18, Shloka 34

Adhyaya 18 — Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

Sanskrit

तदाऽहूयाऽसुरान् सर्वान् युद्धाय सुरसत्तमाः ।

इहाऽनयत मद्दृष्टिगोचरं मा विलम्बतः ॥

Transliteration

tadāhūyāsurān sarvān yuddhāya sura-sattamāḥ |

ihānayata mad-dṛṣṭi-gocaraṃ mā vilambataḥ ||

Translation

“ಹಾಗಾದರೆ, ಹೇ ದೇವಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನೇ! ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಅಸುರರನ್ನು ಕರೆಯಿರಿ. ಅವರನ್ನು ನನ್ನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಗೋಚರ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯೊಳಗೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ತಂದುಕೊಡಿ—ವಿಳಂಬ ಮಾಡಬೇಡಿ.”

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Kriyā-anuvṛtti (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-ह्वे (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having summoned)

• असुरान्: the asuras
• असुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying असुरान्)

• युद्धाय: for battle
• युद्धाय: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (for the purpose of battle)

• सुरसत्तमाः: the best of the gods
• सुरसत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां सत्तमाः = best among the gods)

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• आनयत: bring (you all)
• आनयत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मद्दृष्टिगोचरम्: within my sight-range
• मद्दृष्टिगोचरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम दृष्टेः गोचरः = within the range of my sight)

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (prohibitive particle)

• विलम्बतः: delay
• विलम्बतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लम्ब् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; निषेधेन सह (मा + लोट्) = prohibitive

Speakers

• Dattātreya → Devas

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya
• Devas
• Asuras

Key Themes

• Siddhi-like power (destruction by gaze)
• Deva–Asura conflict
• Command and strategy

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Victory is portrayed as arising from spiritual potency rather than mere military strength—an assertion that inner realization can decisively alter outer conflict.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna illustrating the supremacy of tapas/jñāna in the deva–asura motif; not a pancalakṣaṇa core category.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Gaze’ symbolizes direct awareness: when truth is confronted by awakened consciousness, falsehood (asuric force) cannot endure.