Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 53, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 53 — Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas

Sanskrit

आग्नीध्रो मेधातिथिश्च वपुष्मांश्च तथापरः ।

ज्योतिष्मान्द्युतिमान् भव्यः सवनः सप्त एव ते ॥

Transliteration

āgnīdhro medhātithiś ca vapuṣmāṃś ca tathāparaḥ |

jyotiṣmān dyutimān bhavyaḥ savanaḥ sapta eva te ||

Translation

ସେମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ସାତଜଣ ଥିଲେ—ଆଗ୍ନୀଧ୍ର, ମେଧାତିଥି, ବପୁଷ୍ମାନ, ଜ୍ୟୋତିଷ୍ମାନ, ଦ୍ୟୁତିମାନ, ଭବ୍ୟ ଏବଂ ସବନ।

Word by Word

• आग्नीध्रः: Āgnīdhra (name)
• आग्नीध्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नीध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मेधातिथिः: Medhātithi (name)
• मेधातिथिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधातिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वपुष्मान्: Vapuṣmān (name)
• वपुष्मान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive stem)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'thus/likewise')

• अपरः: another (one)
• अपरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• ज्योतिष्मान्: Jyotiṣmān (name)
• ज्योतिष्मान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

• द्युतिमान्: Dyutimān (name)
• द्युतिमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्युतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

• भव्यः: Bhavya (name)
• भव्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सवनः: Savana (name)
• सवनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण/quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे (numeral used predicatively: 'seven')

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural: 'they')

Speakers

• Narrative section (listing of rulers)

Primary Deities

• Priyavrata

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Geography
• Genealogy
• Sapta-dvipa rulers

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Names emphasizing light/splendor (jyotis/dyuti) reflect the ideal king as an illuminator—one who makes dharma visible through governance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita combined with cosmography: the genealogical list immediately functions as an administrative map of the world.

What is the esoteric significance?

Seven rulers for seven dvīpas echoes the sevenfold cosmic pattern; it can be read as seven ‘powers’ distributing order across the manifested plane.