Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 40, Shloka 15

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

Sanskrit

चिन्तयेत् परमं ब्रह्म कृत्वा तत्प्रवणं मनः ।

योगयुक्तः सदा योगी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः ॥

Transliteration

cintayet paramaṃ brahma kṛtvā tatpravaṇaṃ manaḥ | yogayuktaḥ sadā yogī laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

Hãy quán niệm Phạm Thiên tối thượng (Brahman), khiến tâm hướng nghiêng về Ngài. Luôn được kỷ luật trong yoga, yogin nên ăn thanh đạm và chế ngự các căn.

Word by Word

• cintayet: should contemplate
• cintayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying brahma)

• brahma: Brahman, the Absolute
• brahma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having made’

• tat-pravaṇam: inclined toward that
• tat-pravaṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तस्मिन् प्रवणम्/तत्प्रवणम् (तत्पुरुषः: ‘inclined to that’)

• manaḥ: mind
• manaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yoga-yuktaḥ: joined with yoga, disciplined
• yoga-yuktaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (√yuj, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—योगेन युक्तः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः); विशेषणम् (qualifying yogī)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

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

• laghu-āhāraḥ: of light diet
• laghu-āhāraḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laghu (प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—लघुराहारः (कर्मधारयः); विशेषणम् (qualifying yogī)

• jita-indriyaḥ: having conquered the senses
• jita-indriyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (√ji, क्त-कृदन्त) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येन (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः), रूपतः तत्पुरुष-समासवत्; विशेषणम् (qualifying yogī)

Speakers

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

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahman (as supreme principle)

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Brahman contemplation
• Dietary discipline
• Sense-control

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Metaphysical realization is supported by practical restraint: contemplation of Brahman is paired with moderation in food and mastery of the senses.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/yoga instruction within the Purana; not part of the five defining narrative-lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Making the mind incline to That’ indicates intentional re-vectoring of mental momentum (saṃskāra-flow) toward the absolute, a prerequisite for deeper absorptions.