Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 3

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

Sanskrit

अद्य सर्वबलैर्दैत्या षडशीतीरुदायुधाः । कम्बूनां चतुरशीतिर्निर्यान्तु स्वबलैर्वृताः ॥

Transliteration

adya sarvabalair daityāḥ ṣaḍaśītir udāyudhāḥ / kambūnāṃ caturaśītir niryāntu svabalair vṛtāḥ

Translation

آج دَیتّیوں کے چھیاسی دستے، پورے ہتھیاروں سے آراستہ اور تمام قوت کے ساتھ، کوچ کریں؛ اور کمبُوؤں کے چوراسی دستے بھی اپنی اپنی فوجوں کے گھیرے میں آگے بڑھیں۔

Word by Word

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)

• सर्वबलैः: with all forces
• सर्वबलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सर्वाणि बलानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दैत्याḥ: the demons
• दैत्याḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• षडशीतिḥ: eighty-six (units)
• षडशीतिḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अशीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (षडशीति = 86); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (collective count)

• उदायुधाः: armed, with weapons raised
• उदायुधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उद्गतानि आयुधानि येषाम् / आयुधैः उद्यताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (for daityāḥ)

• कम्बूनाम्: of the Kambūs (a class/tribe)
• कम्बूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चतुरशीतिḥ: eighty-four (units)
• चतुरशीतिḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + अशीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (चतुरशीति = 84); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• निर्यान्तु: let them march out
• निर्यान्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वबलैः: with their own forces
• स्वबलैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (स्वं बलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वृताः: surrounded, accompanied
• वृताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘surrounded/attended’

Speakers

• Śumbha (order reported by narrator)

Primary Deities

• Śumbha

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as the impending opponent (implicit)

Key Themes

• War muster lists
• Asura confederation
• Escalation of conflict

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma seeks security in numbers and armaments; the narrative repeatedly shows that quantity cannot overrule righteous power aligned with cosmic order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Anucarita: cataloging forces is a Purāṇic narrative technique to depict the scale of adharma before its defeat, heightening the didactic impact.

What is the esoteric significance?

The numbered ‘divisions’ can be read as proliferating thought-patterns; when ego feels threatened, it multiplies strategies—yet all remain within the field that Devī (awareness) can subdue.