Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 26

Adhyaya 45 — Jaimini’s Cosmological Questions and the Opening of Markandeya’s Account of Primary Creation

Sanskrit

सर्वमेतन्महाभाग ! श्रूयतां मे समाधिना ।

यथाश्रुतं मया पूर्वं दक्षस्य गदतो मुने ॥

Transliteration

sarvam etan mahābhāga! śrūyatāṃ me samādhinā |

yathāśrutaṃ mayā pūrvaṃ dakṣasya gadato mune ||

Translation

ໂອ ຜູ້ມີວາສະນາດີ, ຂໍໃຫ້ເຈົ້າຟັງທຸກຢ່າງນີ້ຈາກຂ້ອຍດ້ວຍໃຈຈົ່ງຈໍ່. ດັ່ງທີ່ຂ້ອຍເຄີຍຟັງຈາກດັກສະເມື່ອທ່ານເວົ້າ, ໂອ ນັກບຳເນັດ.

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘all/entire’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; pronoun ‘this’

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य) used as address

• श्रूयताम्: let (it) be heard
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; passive/impersonal sense ‘let it be heard’

• मे: by me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (enclitic); here genitive ‘of me/by me’

• समाधिना: with attention
• समाधिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समाधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental ‘with concentration/attention’

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय; ‘as/according to’

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘heard’

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental ‘by me’

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (accusative used adverbially); ‘formerly/before’

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive ‘of Dakṣa’

• गदतः: while speaking / as he spoke
• गदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of (him) speaking’

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; address

Speakers

• Narrator-speaker addressing a sage-disciple; Dakṣa referenced as earlier speaker

Primary Deities

• Dakṣa

Key Themes

• Śravaṇa (hearing) as a discipline
• Samādhi/attention
• Scriptural fidelity
• Cosmological instruction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates disciplined listening (śravaṇa) and mental one-pointedness (samādhi) as prerequisites for grasping metaphysical teaching—an ethical cue toward humility and attentiveness.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Introductory to Sarga/Pratisarga material: it sets the pedagogical frame for a creation/doctrine narrative rather than giving genealogy or manvantara details.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Samādhi’ here functions as a bridge between Purāṇic narration and yogic interiorization: cosmology is not merely external history but a contemplative map to be realized inwardly.