Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 53, Shloka 26

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

Sanskrit

धृतिमत् प्राकरञ्चैव कापिलं चापि सप्तमम् । वपुष्मतः सुताः सप्त शाल्मलेशस्य चाभवन् ॥

Transliteration

dhṛtimat prākarañ caiva kāpilaṃ cāpi saptamam | vapuṣmataḥ sutāḥ sapta śālmaleśasya cābhavan ||

Translation

ਧ੍ਰਿਤਿਮਤ, ਪ੍ਰਾਕਾਰ ਅਤੇ ਕਾਪਿਲ ਵੀ (ਨਾਮਾਂ ਵਜੋਂ) ਸਨ—ਸੱਤਵਾਂ। ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ਾਲਮਲਦਵੀਪ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਵਪੁਸ਼ਮਾਨ ਦੇ ਵੀ ਸੱਤ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• धृतिमत्: Dhṛtimat (name)
• धृतिमत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (नाम-निर्देशे)

• प्राकरम्: Prākara (name)
• प्राकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (नामरूपे), द्वितीया एकवचन (नाम-निर्देशे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; emphasis)

• कापिलम्: Kāpila (name)
• कापिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कापिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (नामरूपे), द्वितीया एकवचन (नाम-निर्देशे)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; additive)

• सप्तमम्: the seventh
• सप्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (नाम-निर्देशे)

• वपुष्मतः: of Vapuṣmat
• वपुष्मतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुष्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular)

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक विशेषण; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचन (sutāḥ इति सह)

• शाल्मलेशस्य: of Śālmaleśa
• शाल्मलेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• अभवन्: were/became
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Puranic narrator (cosmography section)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Genealogy
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Steadfastness (dhṛti) and protective order (prākara) are implicitly praised as realm-defining virtues; the narrative continues to anchor cosmic space in exemplary lineages.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vamśa (lineage lists) supporting Sarga-like cosmographic mapping.

What is the esoteric significance?

The repeated ‘seven sons’ motif suggests a patterned cosmology where each realm is ‘complete’ through a canonical set of divisions, reflecting archetypal order rather than empirical cartography.