Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 44

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

अनाख्यं षड्गुणाख्यञ्च वर्गाख्यं त्रिगुणाश्रयम् ।

नानाशक्तिमतामेकं शक्तिवैभविकं परम् ॥

Transliteration

anākhyaṃ ṣaḍguṇākhyañca vargākhyaṃ triguṇāśrayam /

nānāśaktimatāmekaṃ śaktivaibhavikaṃ param

Translation

ਤੂੰ ਅਵਰਨਨੀਯ ਹੈਂ; ਫਿਰ ਵੀ ਛੇ ਗੁਣਾਂ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਨਾਮਿਤ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈਂ। ਗਣਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਰਗੀਕ੍ਰਿਤ, ਤ੍ਰਿਗੁਣਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਤ—ਤਾਂ ਵੀ ਅਨੇਕ ਸ਼ਕਤੀਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਤੂੰ ਹੀ ਇਕ ਪਰਮ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਹੈਂ; ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਆਪ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• an-ākhyam: nameless; unexpressed
• an-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an (नञ्) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासः—‘आख्य-रहितम्’ (nameless/undefinable)

• ṣaṭ-guṇa-ākhyam: called ‘six-qualitied’
• ṣaṭ-guṇa-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘षड्गुणैः आख्यम्/षड्गुणाख्यम्’ (designated as having six qualities)

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

• varga-ākhyam: called a group/class
• varga-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varga (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘वर्ग इति आख्यम्’ (called a ‘class/group’)

• tri-guṇa-āśrayam: the support of the three guṇas
• tri-guṇa-āśrayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘त्रिगुणानाम् आश्रयः’ (support/abode of the three guṇas)

• nānā-śakti-matām: of those with various powers
• nānā-śakti-matām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + mat (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘शक्तिमत्’ (possessing power) with nānā; used as genitive plural qualifier—‘नानाशक्तिमताम्’ (of those possessing various powers)

• ekam: one
• ekam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śakti-vaibhavikam: pertaining to the splendour of power
• śakti-vaibhavikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + vaibhavika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘शक्तेः वैभवम्’ तदनुगतं (pertaining to the magnificence of power)

• param: supreme
• param: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Aśvatara (Nāga) praising Devī/Sarasvatī

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sarasvatī
• Devī

Shakti Aspects

• Śakti as source of guṇas and powers

Key Themes

• Guṇa theory
• Divine attributes
• Unity of powers
• Shaktism metaphysics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

All classificatory systems (guṇas, categories, attributes) are pointers; the Goddess exceeds them while also functioning through them. Practice-wise, it legitimizes multiple paths and vocabularies while affirming a single source.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supports sarga/pratisarga conceptually by locating the guṇa-based world-process in Devī’s śakti, though the verse itself is stuti within an upākhyāna.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Indescribable yet named’ signals mantra-logic: names and forms are operative veils of Śakti; realization is to see the many śaktis as one radiance.