Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 59

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

देवी शूलेन चक्रेण बाणैरसिभिरृष्टीभिः ।

जघान रक्तबीजं तं चामुण्डापीतशोणितम् ॥

Transliteration

devī śūlena cakreṇa bāṇair asibhir ṛṣṭibhiḥ | jaghāna raktabījaṃ taṃ cāmuṇḍāpītaśoṇitam ||

Translation

Pinabagsak ng Diyosa si Raktabīja sa pamamagitan ng sibat at diskong banal, ng mga palaso, mga espada, at mga suligi—samantalang si Cāmuṇḍā ay umiinom ng kanyang dugo.

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• śūlena: with a trident
• śūlena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• cakreṇa: with a discus
• cakreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows
• bāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• asibhiḥ: with swords
• asibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ṛṣṭibhiḥ: with spears/lances
• ṛṣṭibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• jaghāna: struck/killed
• jaghāna: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• raktabījam: Raktabīja
• raktabījam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raktabīja (प्रातिपदिक; रक्त + बीज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• cāmuṇḍā-pīta-śoṇitam: whose blood was drunk by Cāmuṇḍā
• cāmuṇḍā-pīta-śoṇitam: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāmuṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + pīta (कृदन्त; √pā/पा ‘to drink’) + śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival) रक्तबीजम्/तम् प्रति

Speakers

• Narrative within Devī Māhātmyam (frame: Mārkaṇḍeya to a royal listener
• commonly presented as Medhas to Suratha/Samādhi in Devī Māhātmyam tradition)

Primary Deities

• Devī (Caṇḍikā)
• Cāmuṇḍā

Shakti Aspects

• Caṇḍikā/Devī; Cāmuṇḍā active as blood-drinker to nullify Raktabīja’s boon

Key Themes

• Śāktism
• Divine battle
• Boon-countering strategy
• Protection of cosmic order (dharma)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Unchecked multiplication of harm (Raktabīja’s blood-born replicas) is overcome not merely by force, but by discernment and containment—symbolized by Cāmuṇḍā preventing any “seed” from taking root.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily within Vaṃśānucarita/Manvantara narrative framing (Sāvarṇika Manvantara) and Dharma-protection episodes; it is an upākhyāna (illustrative sacred history) embedded in the Purāṇic manvantara flow.

What is the esoteric significance?

Raktabīja signifies proliferating saṃskāras/egoic tendencies that replicate when ‘spilled’; Cāmuṇḍā’s blood-drinking symbolizes yogic arrest of outgoing energies so that latent impulses cannot regenerate.