Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 47, Shloka 36

Adhyaya 47 — Brahma’s Awakening and the Ninefold Scheme of Creation

Sanskrit

प्राकृतो वैकृतश्चैव कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः ।

इत्येते वै समाख्याता नव सर्गाः प्रजापतेः ॥

Transliteration

prākṛto vaikṛtaścaiva kaumāro navamaḥ smṛtaḥ / ityete vai samākhyātā nava sargāḥ prajāpateḥ

Translation

At ang ikasiyam, na inaalala bilang kaumāra na paglikha, ay kapwa prākṛta at vaikṛta. Sa gayon, ang siyam na paglikha ni Prajāpati ay tunay nang naisaad at naibilang.

Word by Word

• प्राकृतः: primary; original
• प्राकृतः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वैकृतः: secondary; modified
• वैकृतः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्धसूचक (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: सम्बन्धसूचक (Emphasis/Restriction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• कौमारः: pertaining to Kumāra; youthful
• कौमारः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• नवमः: ninth
• नवमः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is said
• स्मृतः: क्रियापद (Predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is said’

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्धसूचक (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• एते: these
• एते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्धसूचक (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• समाख्याता: have been declared/named
• समाख्याता: क्रियापद (Predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘have been named/declared’

• नव: nine
• नव: विशेषण (Numeral modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (अत्र) प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• सर्गाः: creations
• सर्गाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati
• प्रजापतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speakers

• Cosmological narration within the Markandeya Purana’s teaching context (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Prajāpati (often identified with Brahmā)
• Kumāras (implied by ‘kaumāra’)

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Ninefold creation
• Prajāpati/Brahmā
• Pañcalakṣaṇa: Sarga

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The cosmos is portrayed as a complete, intelligible order (ninefold). Recognizing such order supports dharmic living—aligning personal life with the larger structure rather than acting as if existence is random.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is Sarga in summary form: the conclusion of the nine-sarga enumeration attributed to Prajāpati.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kaumāra can symbolize pristine, desire-free consciousness (associated with the Kumāras). Calling it both prākṛta and vaikṛta suggests a bridge between unmanifest principle and manifest order—purity present at both levels.