Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 63, Shloka 4

Adhyaya 63 — The Birth of Svarocis and the Rescue of Manoramā: The Astra-Heart and the Healing of Curses

Sanskrit

ततः कालेन सा गर्भमवाप मुनिसत्तम ।

गन्धर्ववीर्यतो रूपचिन्तनाच्च द्विजन्मनः ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ kālena sā garbham avāpa muni-sattama / gandharva-vīryato rūpa-cintanāc ca dvijan-manaḥ

Translation

ਸਮੇਂ ਦੇ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ, ਹੇ ਮੁਨੀਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ, ਉਸ ਨੇ ਗਰਭ ਧਾਰਿਆ—ਗੰਧਰਵ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵ-ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਨਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਦੇ ਧਿਆਨ-ਬਲ ਨਾਲ ਵੀ, ਹੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ-ਚਿੱਤ।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — 'from that/thereafter'

• कालेन: in course of time / by time
• कालेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन (Singular)

• गर्भम्: pregnancy / embryo
• गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवाप: obtained / conceived
• अवाप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मुनि-सत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनि-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (munīnām sattamaḥ)

• गन्धर्व-वीर्यतः: from the Gandharva’s potency/seed
• गन्धर्व-वीर्यतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandharva (प्रातिपदिक) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) 'vīrya', पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gandharvasya vīryam) + तसिल्-अर्थे पञ्चमी

• रूप-चिन्तनात्: from (her) contemplation of the form
• रूप-चिन्तनात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + cintana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) 'cintana', पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (rūpasya cintanam)

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

• द्वि-जन्मनः: of the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्वि-जन्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थः 'द्विजन्मा' = द्विज (ब्राह्मण)

Speakers

• Markandeya narrating; addressing a sage/brāhmaṇa interlocutor

Key Themes

• Conception and lineage
• Gandharva influence
• Power of thought (cintā) as causal factor

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse reinforces a dhārmic psychology: intention and sustained thought are treated as real causal forces, not merely private experiences—especially in matters of progeny and destiny.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara plus Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita: it explains the origin conditions of a significant figure born in this manvantara.

What is the esoteric significance?

It suggests a twofold causality—outer ‘vīrya’ and inner ‘cintā’—mirroring Purāṇic metaphysics where gross and subtle causes jointly produce embodied results.