Shloka 10

Mārkaṇḍeya’s Request to See Māyā and the Vision of the Cosmic Deluge

Devanagari script

तस्यैकदा भृगुश्रेष्ठ पुष्पभद्रातटे मुने: । उपासीनस्य सन्ध्यायां ब्रह्मन् वायुरभून्महान् ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

tasyaikadā bhṛgu-śreṣṭha puṣpabhadrā-taṭe muneḥ upāsīnasya sandhyāyāṁ brahman vāyur abhūn mahān

Translation

Ó Śaunaka, brāhmaṇa, o melhor dos Bhṛgus: certo dia, enquanto o sábio Mārkaṇḍeya realizava o culto do entardecer na margem do Puṣpabhadrā, ergueu-se de súbito um grande vento.

Synonyms

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (once/at one time)

• bhṛgu-śreṣṭha: O best of the Bhṛgus
• bhṛgu-śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛgu (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भृगूणां श्रेष्ठः)

• puṣpabhadrā-taṭe: on the bank of the Puṣpabhadrā (river)
• puṣpabhadrā-taṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpabhadrā (प्रातिपदिक; नदी-नाम) + taṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पुष्पभद्रायाः तटे)

• muneḥ: of the sage
• muneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• upāsīnasya: while (he was) seated
• upāsīnasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ās (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle in sense ‘seated’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• sandhyāyām: at twilight
• sandhyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; time-locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• brahman: O brāhmaṇa / O Brahman
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• vāyuḥ: wind
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• abhūt: arose/became
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mahān: great
• mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Characters & Entities

• Śaunaka
• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about disturbances during meditation?

This verse shows that even a sage absorbed in twilight meditation can face sudden external disturbances, setting the stage for understanding how the Lord’s illusory potency (māyā) can test and instruct seekers.

Why does Suta Gosvami mention the Puṣpabhadrā River and sandhyā time?

He locates Mārkaṇḍeya’s practice in a sacred setting and at sandhyā (a spiritually potent junction of time), emphasizing the seriousness of the sage’s worship before the extraordinary event unfolds.

Practical application of this shloka in modern life?

When disruptions arise during prayer or meditation, treat them as moments to deepen steadiness and remembrance rather than reasons to abandon practice.