Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 20, Shloka 34

Adhyaya 20 — Ritadhvaja’s Companionship with the Naga Princes and the Origin of the Horse Kuvalaya

Sanskrit

एकं तस्यास्ति कर्तव्यमसाध्यं तच्च नौ मतम् ।

हिरण्यगर्भ-गोविन्द-शर्वादीन् ईश्वरादृते ॥

Transliteration

ekaṃ tasyāsti kartavyam asādhyam tac ca nau matam | hiraṇyagarbha-govinda-śarvādīn īśvarād ṛte ||

Translation

Đối với người ấy có một việc cần làm nhưng là điều bất khả—theo quan điểm của chúng ta—trừ phi đối với các bậc Chúa tể như Hiraṇyagarbha, Govinda, Śarva và những vị tương tự.

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; duty
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory)

• असाध्यम्: impossible, not achievable
• असाध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-निषेध (negated adjective)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• नौ: for us / of us
• नौ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), द्विवचन; enclitic pronoun form (for ‘of us/to us’)

• मतम्: opinion, view
• मतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘opinion/view’

• हिरण्यगर्भ: Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (as member of list), एकवचन-प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष sense ‘golden-wombed’ (proper name)

• गोविन्द: Govinda
• गोविन्द: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + विन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (member of compound list); proper name

• शर्वादीन्: Śarva and others
• शर्वादीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन; ‘Śarva and others’ (ādi)

• ईश्वरात्: from/than the Lord
• ईश्वरात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• ऋते: except, without
• ऋते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने (except/without), usually with ablative

Speakers

• Continuing dialogue; speaker not explicitly labeled here (label appears at 20.35).

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahmā)
• Govinda (Viṣṇu)
• Śarva (Śiva)

Key Themes

• Puruṣakāra (human effort)
• Theology
• Limits of agency
• Īśvara

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text balances human striving with acknowledgment of metaphysical limits: most aims are attainable through resolve, but certain cosmic acts belong to Īśvara-level beings. This discourages despair (by affirming attainability) and also curbs hubris (by marking boundaries).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Not a direct pancalakṣaṇa passage; it is theological-ethical instruction that frames human agency vis-à-vis divine agency.

What is the esoteric significance?

By naming Brahmā/Viṣṇu/Śiva epithets, the verse points to tiers of causality: individual effort operates within the created order, while the highest causal functions (creation/sustenance/dissolution) are attributed to Īśvara principles.