Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 43

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

कुर्वोत तीर्थदेवौकश्चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु । नदीसङ्गमखातेषु स्त्रपनं तत्प्रशान्यते ॥

Transliteration

kurvota tīrthadevaukaś caityaparvatasānuṣu | nadīsaṅgamakhāteṣu strāpanaṃ tatpraśānyate ||

Translation

Sa pamamagitan ng pagligo at paglilinis sa mga banal na tawiran, sa mga tahanan ng mga diyos, sa mga dambana, sa mga dalisdis ng bundok, at sa mga tagpuan ng mga ilog at banal na lawa, ang (pighati) na iyon ay napapawi.

Word by Word

• कुर्वोत: do (you all)
• कुर्वोत: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; वैदिक/छान्दस रूप ‘कुर्वोत’ (= कुरुत)

• तीर्थदेवौकः: a sacred shrine/abode of the deity at a pilgrimage place
• तीर्थदेवौकः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + देव + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd; form identical), एकवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘तीर्थेषु देव-ओकः’ = shrine/abode of deity at a tīrtha

• चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु: on the slopes of sacred mountains
• चैत्यपर्वतसानुषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्य + पर्वत + सानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सानु), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘चैत्य-पर्वत-सानु’ = on the slopes of sacred/caitya mountains

• नदीसङ्गमखातेषु: in places/pits at river confluences
• नदीसङ्गमखातेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + सङ्गम + खात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (खात), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (determinative) ‘नदी-सङ्गम-खात’ = pits/places at river confluences

• स्त्रपनम्: bathing/ablution
• स्त्रपनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रपन (प्रातिपदिक; √स्तृप्/स्त्रप् ‘to bathe/sprinkle’, भाव-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्तृविशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्त्रपनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रशान्यते: is pacified/ceases
• प्रशान्यते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः प्र-; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is pacified)

Speakers

• Dialogue frame not explicit in the excerpt; instructional voice describing śānti measures

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Tīrtha
• Śānti rites
• Purificatory bathing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purification is presented as both physical and moral: one seeks sacred space and disciplined practice to restore balance, emphasizing humility and reliance on dharmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This is ancillary dharma/vidhi material embedded in Purāṇic teaching, not one of the five core lakṣaṇas; it functions as ācāra (conduct/ritual).

What is the esoteric significance?

Confluences and high places symbolize junctions of energies; bathing signifies dissolving impurity (mala) and resetting one’s internal ‘flow’ to match sacred currents.