Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

हंसयुक्तविमानाग्रे साक्षसूत्रकमण्डलुः ।

आयाता ब्रह्मणः शक्तिर्ब्रह्माणी साभिधीयते ॥

Transliteration

haṃsayuktavimānāgre sākṣasūtrakamaṇḍaluḥ |

āyātā brahmaṇaḥ śaktir brahmāṇī sābhidhīyate ||

Translation

ಹಂಸಯುಕ್ತ ದಿವ್ಯರಥದ ಮುಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ, ಜಪಮಾಲೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕಮಂಡಲುವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿದ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಬಂದಳು; ಆಕೆ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣೀ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧಳು।

Word by Word

• हंसयुक्तविमानाग्रे: on the front/top of the swan-yoked aerial car
• हंसयुक्तविमानाग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस-युक्त-विमान-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• साक्ष: together with
• साक्ष: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्ष (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषणार्थे ‘सह/सहित’ (with)

• सूत्र: a cord
• सूत्र: Upakarana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समुच्चित-उपकरणार्थे (as an item carried)

• कमण्डलुः: a water-pot
• कमण्डलुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेष्य (appositive to the arriving deity)

• आयाता: having arrived
• आयाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘आगता’ (having come)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शक्तिः: the power/energy (goddess)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• ब्रह्माणी: Brahmāṇī
• ब्रह्माणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शक्तेः नाम (name in apposition)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अभिधीयते: is called
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmāṇī
• Brahmā

Shakti Aspects

• Brahmāṇī (Brahmi Matrika)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Matrikas
• Iconography
• Sacred vehicles (vāhana)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Brahmāṇī’s emblems (rosary, water-pot) connect power with tapas, discipline, and purity—suggesting that true creative authority is grounded in restraint and sacred order, not mere force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Iconographic-theological detail within Vaṃśānucarita narrative: it supports ritual memory and transmission of sacred forms used in worship and recitation traditions.

What is the esoteric significance?

Swans symbolize viveka (discernment) in later interpretive traditions; the rosary signifies cyclic time and mantra, and the kamaṇḍalu signifies the conserved essence—creative Shakti as disciplined, clarified intelligence.