Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 18, Shloka 57

Adhyaya 18 — Arjuna Declines the Throne; Garga Directs Him to Dattatreya; The Gods Defeat the Daityas through Dattatreya’s Vision and the Movement of Lakshmi

Sanskrit

प्रणिपत्य ततो देवा दत्तात्रेयं मनीषिणम् ।

नाकपृष्ठमनुप्राप्ता यथापूर्वं गतज्वराः ॥

Transliteration

praṇipatya tato devā dattātreyaṃ manīṣiṇam / nākapṛṣṭham anuprāptā yathāpūrvaṃ gatajvarāḥ

Translation

Bấy giờ, chư thiên cúi đầu đảnh lễ bậc hiền triết Dattātreya, rồi lại trở về cõi trời như trước—đã thoát khỏi nỗi khổ của mình.

Word by Word

• praṇipatya: having prostrated
• praṇipatya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√nipat (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having bowed down’

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then)

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• dattātreyam: Dattātreya
• dattātreyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dattātreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• manīṣiṇam: the wise one/sage
• manīṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• nāka-pṛṣṭham: the heavenly realm
• nāka-pṛṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāka + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘surface/height of heaven’

• anuprāptāḥ: reached
• anuprāptāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√prāp (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन: ‘having reached/attained’

• yathā-pūrvam: as before
• yathā-pūrvam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + pūrva (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; ‘as before’ (manner adverb)

• gata-jvarāḥ: freed from fever/distress
• gata-jvarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata + jvara (प्रातिपदिक; gata from √gam धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘fever gone’ i.e., free from distress

Speakers

• Narration

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devas
• Dattātreya

Key Themes

• Restoration
• Gratitude to sages
• Return to cosmic order

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Reverence to wisdom (ṛṣi) and alignment with dharma restores stability; distress (jvara) is treated as a symptom of cosmic/moral disorder that can be resolved.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Narrative denouement reinforcing dharma and right hierarchy (devas honoring ṛṣi); not a creation or dynastic segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Heaven regained’ symbolizes restoration of sattva and order in the psyche/cosmos after tamasic-asuric disruption is neutralized.