Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 54, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 54 — Cosmography of Jambudvipa: Continents, Oceans, Varshas, and Mount Meru

Sanskrit

चतुरशीतिसाहस्रस्तस्योच्छ्रायो महागिरेः ।

प्रविष्टः षोडशाधस्ताद्विस्तीर्णः षोडशैव तु ॥

Transliteration

caturaśīti-sāhasras tasyocchrāyo mahāgireḥ | praviṣṭaḥ ṣoḍaśādhastād vistīrṇaḥ ṣoḍaśaiva tu ||

Translation

ସେହି ମହାପର୍ବତର ଉଚ୍ଚତା ଚତୁରାଶୀ ସହସ୍ର ଯୋଜନ। ତାହା ଷୋଳ ସହସ୍ର ଯୋଜନ ତଳକୁ (ପୃଥିବୀଭିତରେ) ପ୍ରବେଶ କରିଛି, ଏବଂ ତାହାର ପ୍ରସ୍ଥ ମଧ୍ୟ ଷୋଳ ସହସ୍ର ଯୋଜନ।

Word by Word

• caturaśīti-sāhastraḥ: eighty-four thousand
• caturaśīti-sāhastraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturaśīti (प्रातिपदिक) + sāhastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘चतुरशीतिः सहस्राणि’ = eighty-four thousand)

• tasya: of it/of that (Meru)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• ucchrāyaḥ: height
• ucchrāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ucchrāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• mahā-gireḥ: of the great mountain
• mahā-gireḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘महान् गिरिः’ = great mountain)

• praviṣṭaḥ: is embedded/has entered
• praviṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘entered/sunk’

• ṣoḍaśa: sixteen (units)
• ṣoḍaśa: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण/Measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (numeral used adverbially/quantitatively)

• adhaḥ-tāt: downwards, from below
• adhaḥ-tāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय) + -tāt (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तसिलन्त-निर्देशः (ablatival adverb) ‘from below/downwards’

• vistīrṇaḥ: is extended (in breadth)
• vistīrṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-stṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘spread/extended’

• ṣoḍaśa: sixteen (units)
• ṣoḍaśa: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण/Measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; प्रमाणवाचक-प्रयोगः

• eva: exactly, indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle: just/only)

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle)

Speakers

• Unnamed Purāṇic narrator describing cosmic geography (frame-speakers not explicit in this excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred Geography
• Mount Meru
• Purāṇic Measurements

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The image of Meru rooted below and rising high suggests steadiness: true elevation (virtue/knowledge) depends on deep foundations (discipline, humility, tradition).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is 'Sthāna'—detailing the central cosmic mountain and its dimensions within the world-system.

What is the esoteric significance?

Meru’s ‘rooted depth’ and ‘towering height’ can symbolize the yogic axis: grounding in embodied practice while ascending toward higher realization.