Shloka 16

Adhyaya 45 — Jaimini’s Cosmological Questions and the Opening of Markandeya’s Account of Primary Creation

Sanskrit

मार्कण्डेयेन कथितं पुरा क्रौष्टुकये यथा ।

द्विजपुत्राय शान्ताय व्रतस्त्राताय धीमते ॥

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍeyena kathitaṃ purā krauṣṭukaye yathā | dvijaputrāya śāntāya vratastrātāya dhīmate ||

Translation

यथा पुरा मार्कण्डेयेन क्रौष्टुकये कथितं—शान्ताय ब्राह्मणसुताय व्रतपालकाय धीमते।

Word by Word

• mārkaṇḍeyena: by Mārkaṇḍeya
• mārkaṇḍeyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• kathitam: was told
• kathitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/1 or द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal/passive sense

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• krauṣṭukaye: to Krauṣṭukaya
• krauṣṭukaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krauṣṭukaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as, in the manner that
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय)

• dvija-putrāya: to the brahmin’s son
• dvija-putrāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dvijasya putraḥ)

• śāntāya: to the peaceful one
• śāntāya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (qualifying dvijaputrāya)

• vrata-strātāya: to the protector of vows
• vrata-strātāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + strātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vratasya strātā)

• dhīmate: to the wise one
• dhīmate: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (qualifying dvijaputrāya)

Speakers

• Narrator voice within the birds’ response (introducing Markandeya’s earlier discourse)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Paramparā (transmission lineage)
• Authority of ancient narration
• Ethos of the qualified listener (adhikārin)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic knowledge is presented as authenticated by lineage (how it was told before) and by the worthiness of the recipient: peacefulness, vow-keeping, and discernment are highlighted as qualifications for receiving sacred teaching.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is the ‘who-said-to-whom’ scaffolding that legitimizes forthcoming pañcalakṣaṇa material (especially sarga and vaṃśa). It is not itself sarga etc., but it anchors the authority chain.

What is the esoteric significance?

The text hints that the ‘container’ matters: knowledge fructifies when held by śānti (inner stillness) and vrata (self-binding discipline).