Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 38, Shloka 19

Adhyaya 38 — Dattatreya on Non-Identification (Mamata) and the Path to Liberation

Sanskrit

कथं न भूयां भूयश्च कथं निर्गुणतामियाम् ।

कथञ्च ब्रह्मणैकत्वं व्रजेयṃ शाश्वतेन वै ॥

Transliteration

kathaṃ na bhūyāṃ bhūyaśca kathaṃ nirguṇatāmiyām |

kathañca brahmaṇaikatvaṃ vrajeyaṃ śāśvatena vai ||

Translation

ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະເຮັດແນວໃດ ເພື່ອບໍ່ໃຫ້ເກີດຊ້ຳໆອີກ? ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະບັນລຸສະພາວະທີ່ເຫນືອກວ່າ ຄຸນະ (guṇas) ໄດ້ແນວໃດ? ແລະຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຈະເຂົ້າເຖິງຄວາມເປັນໜຶ່ງອັນນິລັນດອນກັບ ພຣະພຣະຫມັນ (Brahman) ໄດ້ແນວໃດ?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• भूयाम्: may I become
• भूयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘may I become’

• भूयः: again/more
• भूयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (adverb ‘again/more’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• निर्गुणताम्: the state of being without qualities
• निर्गुणताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्गुणता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case) एकवचन; कर्म (goal/state to attain)

• इयाम्: may I attain/go to
• इयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘may I go/attain’

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive relation with एकत्वम्

• एकत्वम्: oneness
• एकत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘attain’)

• व्रजेयम्: may I reach
• व्रजेयम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘may I go/attain’

• शाश्वतेन: by the eternal (means)
• शाश्वतेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंस/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण (instrument/means) used adverbially ‘by the eternal (means)’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खलु (emphatic particle)

Speakers

• King Alarka to the teaching Brahman/ṛṣi

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Rebirth cessation
• Guṇa-transcendence
• Brahman-unity
• Mokṣa-icchā (desire for liberation)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The highest human aim is articulated as threefold: end of repeated becoming, transcendence of guṇas, and stable realization of Brahman.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Soteriological inquiry (mokṣa-prakaraṇa) within the Purāṇa’s instructional layers, not one of the five defining narrative characteristics.

What is the esoteric significance?

The three questions align with a progression: (1) karmic cessation, (2) psychological/energetic transcendence of guṇas, (3) metaphysical identity with Brahman—suggesting practice, purification, and realization.