Shloka 2

Adhyaya 59 — Markandeya and Vishnu

Sanskrit

अत्रैवैतद्युगानान्तु चातुर्वर्ण्योऽत्र वै द्विज ।

चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैव तथैकञ्च शरच्छतम् ॥

Transliteration

atraivaitad yugānāṃ tu cāturvarṇyo ’tra vai dvija / catvāri trīṇi dve caiva tathaikañ ca śaracchatam

Translation

ข้าแต่ทวิชผู้ประเสริฐ ในถิ่นนี้มีระเบียบจตุรวรรณะดำรงอยู่จริง และในที่นี้ตามลำดับแห่งยุค อายุขัยเป็นสี่ร้อย สามร้อย สองร้อย และหนึ่งร้อยปีตามลำดับ

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• युगानाम्: of the ages (yugas)
• युगानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/particle: contrast)

• चातुर्वर्ण्यः: the fourfold social order (four varṇas)
• चातुर्वर्ण्यः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + वर्ण्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle of emphasis/assurance)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; numeral

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; numeral

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन; numeral

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: in that manner/likewise)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; numeral

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

• शरत्-शतम्: a hundred autumns (a hundred years)
• शरत्-शतम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'of autumns' → 'a hundred autumns/years')

Speakers

• Narrator (traditional Purāṇic speaker) addressing a dvija interlocutor (likely Mārkaṇḍeya to a questioner in the frame)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred geography
• Yuga doctrine
• Social order (varṇa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse links human longevity and social structure to cosmic time (yuga). It reflects the Purāṇic view that dharmic order and human capacities fluctuate with the moral-spiritual climate of an age.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily 'Manvantara' and 'Vaṃśānucarita' are not explicit here; this is best classified under Purāṇic 'Sthāna/Poṣa' style cosmography (describing the ordered world and its conditions across yugas).

What is the esoteric significance?

The descending numbers (4-3-2-1) symbolize progressive contraction of human vitality and dharmic capacity through the yugas—an inner allegory for diminishing sattva and increasing inertia/conflict.