Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 82, Shloka 17

Adhyaya 82 — The Rise of Mahishasura and the Manifestation of the Goddess from the Gods’ Tejas

Sanskrit

भ्रुवौ च सन्ध्ययोस्तेजः श्रवणावनिलस्य च ।

अन्येषां चैव देवानां सम्भवस्तेजसां शिवा ॥

Transliteration

bhruvau ca sandhyayos tejaḥ śravaṇāv anilasya ca |

anyeṣāṃ caiva devānāṃ sambhavas tejasāṃ śivā ||

Translation

Ang kanyang mga kilay ay mula sa liwanag ng mga Sandhyā (mga takipsilim), at ang kanyang mga tainga ay mula sa liwanag ni Vāyu (Hangin). Kaya, O mapalad, mula rin sa mga liwanag ng iba pang mga diyos nagkaroon ang natitirang mga anyo (ng Diyosa).

Word by Word

• भ्रुवौ: the two eyebrows
• भ्रुवौ: कर्म/उत्पाद्य (Produced parts)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; ‘two eyebrows’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सन्ध्ययोः: of the two twilights
• सन्ध्ययोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), द्विवचन; ‘of the two twilights (dawn & dusk)’

• तेजः: radiance
• तेजः: करण/हेतु (Instrumental sense; causal source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; here ‘radiance’ (source implied)

• श्रवणौ: the two ears
• श्रवणौ: कर्म/उत्पाद्य (Produced parts)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन; ‘two ears’

• अनिलस्य: of the Wind-god
• अनिलस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of Wind’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अन्येषाम्: of other
• अन्येषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of other (gods)’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

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

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of the gods’

• सम्भवः: the origin/arising
• सम्भवः: कर्मधार्य-भाव (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+भू (धातु) → सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘arising/origin’

• तेजसाम्: of (their) energies
• तेजसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of radiances/energies’

• शिवा: Śivā (the Goddess)
• शिवा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘Śivā’ (the auspicious goddess)

Speakers

• Devi Mahatmyam narrator (within Markandeya Purana’s frame narration)

Primary Deities

• Sandhyā (Twilight junctions, personified)
• Vāyu (Anila)
• Devī (Mahādevī)
• Other Devas (collective)

Shakti Aspects

• Mahādevī (auspicious
• complete cosmic form)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Cosmic personifications
• Wholeness from multiplicity
• Auspiciousness (śivā)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Order at the ‘junctions’ (sandhyā—times of transition) and the life-breath (vāyu) are sanctified as divine contributions; dharma is preserved by honoring liminal disciplines (sandhyā-vandana ethos) and the regulation of prāṇa (steadiness and restraint).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Again, this is best read as dharma-protecting devatā-carita (divine episode) embedded within the Purāṇic narrative rather than one of the five structural markers like manvantara or vaṃśa lists.

What is the esoteric significance?

Sandhyā signifies liminality where spiritual practice is potent; eyebrows frame vision (attention/saṅkalpa), while ears from Vāyu suggest revelation and mantra are ‘carried’ by breath—linking perception and prāṇa to śakti.