Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 64

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

यदेतत्कूर्मसंस्थानं नक्षत्रेषु मयोदितम् ।

एतत्तु देशसामान्यमशुभं शुभमेव च ॥

Transliteration

yad etat kūrmasaṃsthānaṃ nakṣatreṣu mayoditam / etat tu deśasāmānyam aśubhaṃ śubham eva ca //

Translation

نکشتروں میں جس ‘کُورم آکار’ (کچھوے نما) ترتیب کا میں نے بیان کیا ہے، وہ کسی خطّے کے لیے عام علامت ہے؛ وہ نحوست اور سعادت—دونوں کی نشان دہی کر سکتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshya (विशेष्य/that referred thing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• kūrma-saṃsthānam: tortoise-shaped configuration
• kūrma-saṃsthānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'कूर्मस्य संस्थानम्'

• nakṣatreṣu: among/in the constellations
• nakṣatreṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Loc. 7), बहुवचन (pl.)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• uditam: stated/declared
• uditam: Kriya (क्रियाविशेष/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√vad / √vad (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः: 'उक्तम्/प्रोक्तम्'

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• deśa-sāmānyam: a general (rule) for regions
• deśa-sāmānyam: Karma (कर्म/Object/predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक) + sāmānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'देशस्य सामान्यं'

• aśubham: inauspicious
• aśubham: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic)

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

Speakers

• Not explicit in provided excerpt (didactic voice continuing)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Omens
• Astral symbolism
• Regional prognostication

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Omens are presented as contextual rather than absolute; the same astral sign may yield mixed outcomes, implying the need for prudent, measured response rather than fatalism.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Supplementary instructional content (upadeśa) on interpreting cosmic signs; not a direct pancalakṣaṇa item.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘tortoise’ (kūrma) motif can symbolize stability/support; the verse hints that stability can manifest as either protection (śubha) or inertia/constraint (aśubha) depending on circumstance.