Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 40, Shloka 14

Adhyaya 40 — The Yogin’s Impediments (Upasargas), Subtle Concentrations, and the Eight Siddhis

Sanskrit

उपसर्गैर्महाघोरैरावर्तन्ते पुनः पुनः ।

प्रावृत्य कम्बलं शुक्लं योगी तस्मान्मनोमयम् ॥

Transliteration

upasargairmahāghorairāvartante punaḥ punaḥ | prāvṛtya kambalaṃ śuklaṃ yogī tasmānmanomayam ||

Translation

Bởi những chướng ngại cực kỳ đáng sợ, họ bị cuốn xoáy hết lần này đến lần khác. Vì thế, hành giả yogin nên tự quấn mình trong “tấm chăn trắng” làm bằng tâm—tức sự thanh tịnh nội tâm và sự hộ trì của ý thức.

Word by Word

• upasargaiḥ: by obstacles/afflictions
• upasargaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upasarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• mahā-ghoraiḥ: very terrible
• mahā-ghoraiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—महांश्चासौ घोरश्च (कर्मधारयः); विशेषणम् (qualifying upasargaiḥ)

• āvartante: they whirl/are tossed about
• āvartante: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb), पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• prāvṛtya: having wrapped
• prāvṛtya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having covered/wrapped’

• kambalam: blanket
• kambalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kambala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• śuklam: white
• śuklam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying kambalam)

• yogī: the yogin
• yogī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mano-mayam: made of mind, mental
• mano-mayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—मनसः मयम् (तत्पुरुषः, ‘made of mind’); विशेषणम् (implied object/covering)

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided excerpt (within Markandeya Purana’s instructional dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Mental protection
• Purity (śukla)
• Repeated cycles of distraction

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When disturbances recur, the remedy is not escalation outward but cultivation of inner purity and steadiness—symbolized as a ‘white wrap’ of the mind.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Instructional (yoga-ācāra) material; not a direct pañcalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘white blanket’ can be read as sattva-āvaraṇa: a consciously generated, pure mental field that insulates awareness from rajas/tamas-driven upasargas.