Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 39

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

Sanskrit

महताचावृतः सोऽपि यथाव्यरक्तेन वै महान् ।

भूतादिस्तु विकुर्वाणः शब्दतन्मात्रकन्ततः ॥

Transliteration

mahatā cāvṛtaḥ so 'pi yathāvyaraktena vai mahān | bhūtādis tu vikurvāṇaḥ śabdatanmātrakam tataḥ ||

Translation

ସେହି ଅହଂକାର ମଧ୍ୟ ‘ମହତ୍’ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଆବୃତ ଥାଏ, ଯେପରି ‘ମହତ୍’ ‘ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ’ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଆବୃତ। ପରେ ଭୂତାଦି (ତାମସ ଅହଂକାର) ପରିଣତ ହୋଇ ଶବ୍ଦ-ତନ୍ମାତ୍ରାକୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ କରେ।

Word by Word

• mahatā: by Mahat
• mahatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; here: 'by Mahat'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• āvṛtaḥ: covered
• āvṛtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√vṛ (वृ) → āvṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying 'saḥ' (bhūtādi/ahaṅkāra)

• saḥ: he/that (principle)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• api: also
• api: Samuccaya/Avadhāraṇa (समुच्चय/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): 'also/even'

• yathā: as
• yathā: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमान-निपात): 'as'

• avyaraktena: by the undifferentiated (uncoloured)
• avyaraktena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avyarakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; 'by the uncoloured/undifferentiated (state)'

• vai: indeed
• vai: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात): 'indeed'

• mahān: Mahat
• mahān: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhūtādiḥ: bhūtādi (elemental source)
• bhūtādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; 'bhūtānām ādiḥ'

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adversative/contrast particle (व्यतिरेक-निपात): 'but/indeed'

• vikurvāṇaḥ: transforming/modifying
• vikurvāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√kṛ (कृ) → vikurvāṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle (शानच्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with 'bhūtādiḥ'

• śabda-tanmātrakam: the subtle element of sound
• śabda-tanmātrakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + tanmātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसक), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: 'śabdasya tanmātram' = subtle element of sound

• tataḥ: therefrom
• tataḥ: Apādāna/Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (अपादान/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): 'therefrom/then'

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided extract

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Tanmātras
• Sound (Śabda)
• Layered causality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The world is explained as a cascade from subtle to gross. Since sound is first among tanmātras, disciplined speech (satya, hita) is implicitly elevated as foundational to order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga: continues the emanation chain into tanmātras, beginning with śabda.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sound as the first subtle element resonates with mantra-doctrine: vibration precedes form. The ‘coverings’ suggest that gross perception is layered over subtler realities.