Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 84, Shloka 38

Adhyaya 84 — The Gods’ Hymn after the Slaying of Mahishasura and the Goddess’ Boon

Sanskrit

रक्षणाय च लोकानां देवानामुपकारिणी ।

तच्छृणुष्व मयाऽऽख्यातं यथावत्कथयामि ते ॥

Transliteration

rakṣaṇāya ca lokānāṃ devānām upakāriṇī | tac chṛṇuṣva mayā'khyātaṃ yathāvat kathayāmi te ||

Translation

Para sa pag-iingat ng mga daigdig, at bilang mapagkaloob sa mga diyos—pakinggan mo ang aking isasalaysay; ikukuwento ko ito sa iyo nang wasto at ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod.

Word by Word

• rakṣaṇāya: for protection
• rakṣaṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular; purpose (प्रयोजनार्थ)

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

• lokānām: of the worlds/people
• lokānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural

• upakāriṇī: benefactress, helpful
• upakāriṇī: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upakārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; adjective of devī (understood)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; object of śṛṇuṣva

• śṛṇuṣva: listen
• śṛṇuṣva: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular

• ākhyātam: narrated, told
• ākhyātam: Karma (कर्म/predicate of object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√khyā (ख्या धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative/Nominative Singular; here predicate to tat (that which has been narrated)

• yathāvat: properly, in due order
• yathāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (यथावत्)

• kathayāmi: I tell
• kathayāmi: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular

Speakers

• Ṛṣi narrator to the King (frame narrative)

Primary Deities

• Devī
• Devas

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as protectress (rakṣikā) and benefactress (upakāriṇī)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Narrative transition
• Protection
• Teaching through sacred history

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Sacred narrative is positioned as instruction: hearing (śravaṇa) is itself a devotional act that aligns the listener with protection and dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Didactic kathā within Manvantara material—purāṇic storytelling used to transmit dharma and the pattern of divine protection across ages.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Yathāvat’ implies right-order transmission: in tantric/śākta sensibility, correct hearing and sequencing preserves śakti of the mantra-like narrative.