Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 86, Shloka 13

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

Sanskrit

केषाञ्चित् पाटयामास नखैः कोष्ठानि केशरी ।

तथा तलप्रिहारेण शिरांसि कृतवान् पृथक् ॥

Transliteration

keṣāñcit pāṭayāmāsa nakhaiḥ koṣṭhāni keśarī /

tathā talaprihāreṇa śirāṃsi kṛtavān pṛthak

Translation

ಕೆಲವರ ಎದೆಗಳನ್ನು ಅವನು ನಖಗಳಿಂದ ಹರಿದುಬಿಟ್ಟನು; ಇನ್ನೂ ಕೆಲವರ ತಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪಂಜೆಯ ಹೊಡೆತಗಳಿಂದ ಬೇರ್ಪಡಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• केषाम्: of some
• केषाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• चित्: some
• चित्: विशेषण-निबन्धन (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite particle)

• पाटयामास: tore open
• पाटयामास: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पट्/पाट् (धातु) (causative)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) + लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नखैः: with claws
• नखैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन

• कोष्ठानि: chests/bellies (trunks)
• कोष्ठानि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• केशरी: the lion
• केशरी: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारार्थ

• तलप्रहारेण: by a blow of the palm
• तलप्रहारेण: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः ‘तलेन प्रहारः/तलस्य प्रहारः’; पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• शिरांसि: heads
• शिरांसि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• कृतवान्: made/did
• कृतवान्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृतवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्तवत्/Perfect participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘केशरी’ इत्यस्य सहायक-क्रियापदवत् (periphrastic perfect sense)

• पृथक्: apart, separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: separately)

Speakers

• Ṛṣi narrator

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Ambikā)
• Siṃha (Devī’s mount)

Shakti Aspects

• Siṃha as Devī’s manifest might (vīrya-śakti)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Martial symbolism
• Decisive severance of evil

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The graphic imagery is didactic: entrenched violence and arrogance are uprooted decisively. It is not cruelty for its own sake but the restoration of balance through overwhelming divine force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A battle-description within an ākhyāna; it supports the Purāṇa’s broader function of transmitting dharma and devotion through exemplars.

What is the esoteric significance?

Tearing the ‘chest’ suggests breaking the knot of hardened ego; severing heads symbolizes cutting false identities and intrusive thoughts at their source.