Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 42, Shloka 9

Adhyaya 42 — Dattatreya on the Yogic Import of Oṃ (Praṇava): Matras, Worlds, and Liberation

Sanskrit

विष्णुर्-ब्रह्मा-हरश्चैव ऋक्सामानि यजूṃषि च ।

मात्राः सार्धाश्च तिस्त्रश्च विज्ञेयाः परमार्थतः ॥

Transliteration

viṣṇur-brahmā-haraścaiva ṛksāmāni yajūṃṣi ca /

mātrāḥ sārdhāśca tistraśca vijñeyāḥ paramārthataḥ

Translation

Si Viṣṇu, Brahmā, at Hara, at gayundin ang Ṛk, Sāman, at Yajus—ang mga ito, sa pinakamataas na diwa, ay dapat maunawaan bilang tatlong mātrā kasama ang ardha-mātrā.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• ऋक्-सामानि: Ṛk and Sāman (hymns/chants)
• ऋक्-सामानि: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच्/ऋक् + सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ऋचः च सामानि च

• यजूंषि: Yajus formulas
• यजूंषि: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• मात्राः: moras; measures (of sound)
• मात्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सार्धाः: with a half (i.e., one-and-a-half)
• सार्धाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘with a half’ (one-and-a-half)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘three’ (feminine form)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• विज्ञेयाः: are to be known
• विज्ञेयाः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate-adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा धातु से तव्यत्/य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘to be known/understood’

• परमार्थतः: in truth; ultimately
• परमार्थतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परमार्थतः (अव्यय; परमार्थ + तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): in the highest sense/truly

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided extract (didactic narration within Markandeya Purana’s philosophical instruction)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu
• Brahmā
• Śiva (Hara)

Key Themes

• Praṇava
• Trimūrti
• Vedic synthesis
• Mātrā doctrine

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse teaches integrative theology: sectarian forms (Trimūrti) and scriptural divisions (three Vedas) are unified under the single contemplative principle of Oṁ.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

A theological-philosophical mapping (upāsanā/tattva) rather than pancalakṣaṇa narrative content.

What is the esoteric significance?

The correspondence between A-U-M(+ardha) and deity/Veda triads implies that mantra-phonetics is not merely linguistic but ontological: sound-units mirror cosmic functions (creation, preservation, dissolution) culminating in transcendence.