Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 40, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 40 — The Yogin’s Impediments (Upasargas), Subtle Concentrations, and the Eight Siddhis

Sanskrit

उपसर्गैर्महाघोरैरावर्तन्ते पुनः पुनः ।

प्रावृत्य कम्बलं शुक्लं योगी तस्मान्मनोमयम् ॥

Transliteration

upasargairmahāghorairāvartante punaḥ punaḥ | prāvṛtya kambalaṃ śuklaṃ yogī tasmānmanomayam ||

Translation

Dahil sa lubhang nakapanghihilakbot na mga hadlang, sila’y paulit-ulit na iniikot at inililigaw. Kaya ang yogin ay dapat balutin ang sarili sa “puting kumot” na yari sa isip—ang panloob na kadalisayan at pag-iingat ng kamalayan.

Word by Word

• upasargaiḥ: by obstacles/afflictions
• upasargaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upasarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• mahā-ghoraiḥ: very terrible
• mahā-ghoraiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—महांश्चासौ घोरश्च (कर्मधारयः); विशेषणम् (qualifying upasargaiḥ)

• āvartante: they whirl/are tossed about
• āvartante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb), पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• prāvṛtya: having wrapped
• prāvṛtya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having covered/wrapped’

• kambalam: blanket
• kambalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kambala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• śuklam: white
• śuklam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying kambalam)

• yogī: the yogin
• yogī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mano-mayam: made of mind, mental
• mano-mayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—मनसः मयम् (तत्पुरुषः, ‘made of mind’); विशेषणम् (implied object/covering)

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided excerpt (within Markandeya Purana’s instructional dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Mental protection
• Purity (śukla)
• Repeated cycles of distraction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When disturbances recur, the remedy is not escalation outward but cultivation of inner purity and steadiness—symbolized as a ‘white wrap’ of the mind.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Instructional (yoga-ācāra) material; not a direct pañcalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘white blanket’ can be read as sattva-āvaraṇa: a consciously generated, pure mental field that insulates awareness from rajas/tamas-driven upasargas.