Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 53, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 53 — Rudrasarga and the Measure of the Manvantaras: Svayambhuva Manu, Priyavrata’s Line, and the Seven Dvipas

Sanskrit

कन्ये द्वे दश पुत्रांश्च सम्राट्कुक्षी च ते उभे ।

तयोर्वै भ्रातरः शूराः प्रजापतिसमा दश ॥

Transliteration

kanye dve daśa putrāṃś ca samrāṭkukṣī ca te ubhe |

tayor vai bhrātaraḥ śūrāḥ prajāpatisamā daśa ||

Translation

May dalawang anak na babae—Samrāṭ at Kukṣi—at mayroon ding sampung anak na lalaki. Ang kanilang mga kapatid na lalaki ay sampung bayani, kasingdakila ng mga Prajāpati.

Word by Word

• kanye: two daughters
• kanye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Dual (प्रथमा-द्विवचन)

• dve: two
• dve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Feminine/Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Dual (प्रथमा/द्वितीया-द्विवचन); numeral qualifying kanye

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक), used adjectivally

• putrān: sons
• putrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd—द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• samrāṭ-kukṣī: Samrāṭ and Kukṣi
• samrāṭ-kukṣī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samrāṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative Dual (प्रथमा-द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: two names 'Samrāṭ' and 'Kukṣi' (as daughters)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• te: those (two)
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative Dual (प्रथमा-द्विवचन); pronoun referring to the two

• ubhe: both
• ubhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative Dual (प्रथमा-द्विवचन); agreeing with te/kanye

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive (6th—षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• bhrātaraḥ: brothers
• bhrātaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śūrāḥ: valiant
• śūrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying bhrātaraḥ

• prajāpati-samāḥ: equal to Prajāpati
• prajāpati-samāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st—प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); 'equal to Prajāpati'

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: Numeral (संख्यावाचक), used predicatively with bhrātaraḥ

Speakers

• Narrative section (genealogical listing)

Key Themes

• Genealogy
• Prajapatis
• Royal progeny

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text frames exemplary progeny as a measure of dharmic success: valor and generative capacity (Prajāpati-like) are ideals of rulership and household continuity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita: enumeration of descendants and their status.

What is the esoteric significance?

Calling them ‘Prajāpati-like’ suggests archetypal roles: each descendant embodies a facet of ordering/creating within the cosmic-social fabric.