Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 50, Shloka 97

Adhyaya 50 — Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)

Sanskrit

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्त्वा दुःसहं ब्रह्मा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।

चकार शासनं सोऽपि तथा पङ्कजजन्मनः ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityuktvā duḥsahaṃ brahmā tatraivāntaradhīyata /

cakāra śāsanaṃ so 'pi tathā paṅkajajanmanaḥ

Translation

ਮਾਰਕੰਡੇਯ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੁಃਸਹ ਨੂੰ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਓਥੇ ਹੀ ਅੰਤਧਾਨ ਹੋ ਗਏ। ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਪਦਮਯੋਨੀ (ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ) ਦੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਯਥਾਵਤ ਪਾਲਿਆ।

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyopasaṃhāra (वाक्योपसंहार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यवधारण-अव्यय (quotative: 'thus')

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having said'

• दुःसहम्: hard-to-bear (one)
• दुःसहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to ब्रह्माणम्)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (just/indeed)

• अन्तर्धीयत: disappeared
• अन्तर्धीयत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर्धा + इ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; (अन्तर्धा-उपसर्गपूर्वकः)

• चकार: did/made
• चकार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन

• शासनम्: instruction/command
• शासनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भाव-अव्यय (also/even)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in that manner)

• पङ्कज-जन्मनः: of the lotus-born (Brahmā)
• पङ्कज-जन्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पङ्कजस्य जन्म = lotus-born; epithet of Brahmā)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya (narrator) reporting Brahmā’s instruction to Duḥsaha

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Narrative closure
• Authority of divine injunction
• Dharma instruction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divine instruction is presented as binding even for semi-divine beings; order is restored when beings act within prescribed limits.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Frame-narrative connective tissue; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Brahmā’s disappearance signifies the withdrawal of the teaching-source after transmission; the real ‘presence’ becomes the śāsana (injunction) internalized and enacted.