Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 59, Shloka 29

Adhyaya 59 — Cosmic Geography and Yuga-Order: Bhadrashva, Ketumala, and the Northern Kuru Region

Sanskrit

इत्येतत् कथितं ब्रह्मन् ! कुरुवर्षं मयोत्तरम् ।

शृणु किंपुरुषादीनि वर्षाणि गदतो मम ॥

Transliteration

ity etat kathitaṃ brahman! kuruvarṣaṃ mayottaram | śṛṇu kiṃpuruṣādīni varṣāṇi gadato mama ||

Translation

ಈ ರೀತಿಯಾಗಿ, ಹೇ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ, ಉತ್ತರ-ಕುರುವರ್ಷವನ್ನು ನಿನಗೆ ನಾನು ವಿವರಿಸಿದೆ. ಈಗ ಕೇಳು—ನಾನು ಹೇಳುವಂತೆ—ಕಿಂಪುರುಷದಿಂದ ಆರಂಭವಾಗುವ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನು।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative/closure particle)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kathitam: has been told
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kath (धातु) + kathita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa / O venerable one
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• kuru-varṣam: Kuru-varṣa (region)
• kuru-varṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kurūṇāṃ varṣam)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• uttaram: northern
• uttaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kuru-varṣam)

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• kiṃpuruṣa-ādīni: beginning with Kiṃpuruṣa (etc.)
• kiṃpuruṣa-ādīni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kiṃpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘...आदि’ तत्पुरुषः (kiṃpuruṣaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām)

• varṣāṇi: the regions/lands (varṣas)
• varṣāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• gadataḥ: of (me) speaking
• gadataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gad (धातु) + gadat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ (present active participle)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (narrator)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Textual transition
• Catalog of regions
• Cosmography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The systematic sequencing of regions models disciplined transmission of knowledge: the teacher completes one unit before proceeding to the next.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A connective verse within cosmographic exposition (sarga/pratisarga-related descriptive portion).

What is the esoteric significance?

Moving from one varṣa to another mirrors an inner journey across 'regions' of experience—knowledge proceeds by ordered stages.