Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 48, Shloka 26

Adhyaya 48 — The Emanation of Beings from Brahma: Night, Day, Twilight, and the Orders of Creation

Sanskrit

गावश्चैवोदराद् ब्रह्मा पार्श्वाभ्याञ्च विनिर्ममे ।

पद्भ्याञ्चाश्वान् स मातङ्गान् रासबान् शशकान् मृगान् ॥

Transliteration

gāvaś caivodarād brahmā pārśvābhyāñ ca vinirmame | padbhyāñ cāśvān sa mātaṅgān rāsabān śaśakān mṛgān ||

Translation

At hinubog ni Brahmā ang mga baka mula sa kanyang tiyan, at gayundin mula sa kanyang mga tagiliran. Mula sa kanyang mga paa ay iniluwal niya ang mga kabayo, elepante, asno, liyebre, at usa.

Word by Word

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed/also
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात)

• udarāt: from the belly
• udarāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pārśvābhyām: from/with the two sides (flanks)
• pārśvābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• vinirmame: created/produced
• vinirmame: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-nir-mā (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• padbhyaḥ: from the feet
• padbhyaḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• aśvān: horses
• aśvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mātaṅgān: elephants
• mātaṅgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rāsabān: donkeys
• rāsabān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāsabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śaśakān: hares/rabbits
• śaśakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mṛgān: deer/wild animals
• mṛgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Narratorial cosmology within Markandeya Purana’s discourse frame (exact speaker depends on edition’s framing dialogue)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sarga
• Animal taxonomy (proto)
• Sacrality of cow

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Cows are placed in an intimate bodily origin (belly/sides), reinforcing their centrality to nourishment and ritual economy; the verse also integrates wild and domestic species into a single cosmic genealogy.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga: continued enumeration of created beings and their symbolic origins.

What is the esoteric significance?

Feet-origin animals (horses, elephants, etc.) align with mobility, labor, and worldly power—forces that ‘carry’ civilization, just as feet carry the body.