Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 31

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

द्रावणाः मार्गिकाः शूद्रा कर्णप्राधेयवर्वराः ।

किराताः पारदाः पाण्ड्यास्तथा पारशवाः कलाः ॥

Transliteration

drāvaṇāḥ mārgikāḥ śūdrā karṇaprādheya-varvarāḥ | kirātāḥ pāradāḥ pāṇḍyās tathā pāraśavāḥ kalāḥ ||

Translation

ଦ୍ରାବଣ, ମାର୍ଗିକ, ଶୂଦ୍ର, କର୍ଣ୍ଣପ୍ରାଧେୟ ଓ ବର୍ବର; କିରାତ, ପାରଦ, ପାଣ୍ଡ୍ୟ, ତଥା ପାରଶବ ଓ କଲ—ଏମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ପରିକୀର୍ତ୍ତିତ।

Word by Word

• द्रावणाः: the Drāvaṇas
• द्रावणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मार्गिकाः: the Mārgikas
• मार्गिकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शूद्राः: Śūdras
• शूद्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कर्ण-प्राधेय-वर्वराः: the Karṇas, Prādheyas, and Varvaras
• कर्ण-प्राधेय-वर्वराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राधेय (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वभावः (a grouped listing: Karṇas, Prādheyas, Varvaras)

• किराताः: the Kirātas
• किराताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पारदाः: the Pāradās
• पारदाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पाण्ड्याः: the Pāṇḍyas
• पाण्ड्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• पारशवाः: the Pāraśavas
• पारशवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कलाः: the Kalas
• कलाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speakers

• Purāṇic narrator (catalogue style); specific interlocutors not indicated in the supplied excerpt

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Ethnography
• Social labels in Purāṇic lists
• South and frontier groups

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reflects how Purāṇic compilers used a mix of political, regional, and varṇa-like terms to classify society; it is descriptive rather than prescriptive in these lines.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary cosmography/ethnography (bhū-varṇana).

What is the esoteric significance?

The blending of social and regional identifiers suggests a layered identity model—outer geography and inner social ordering—both viewed as parts of a single cosmic arrangement.