Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 107

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

सा जातहारीणी नाम सुघोरा पिशिताशना ।

तस्मात् संरक्षणं कार्यं यत्नतः सूतिकागृहे ॥

Transliteration

sā jātahāriṇī nāma sughorā piśitāśanā / tasmāt saṃrakṣaṇaṃ kāryaṃ yatnataḥ sūtikāgṛhe

Translation

Nàng được gọi là Jātahāriṇī—đáng sợ tột bậc, kẻ ăn thịt. Vì thế, trong phòng sinh nở phải hết sức gắng công mà lập sự hộ vệ.

Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jāta-hāriṇī: the newborn-stealing (female)
• jāta-hāriṇī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāta (जात-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + hāriṇī (हारिणी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: ‘jātam harati’ = newborn-stealer

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/labeling)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle indicating naming (नाम-शब्दः, नामार्थक-अव्यय)

• su-ghorā: very terrible
• su-ghorā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (सु-उपसर्ग) + ghorā (घोर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective of ‘sā’

• piśita-aśanā: flesh-eating
• piśita-aśanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: piśita (पिशित-प्रातिपदिक) + aśanā (अशना-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: ‘piśitam aśnāti’ = flesh-eating

• tasmāt: therefore/from that (reason)
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Ablative of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used as causal ‘therefore/from that’

• saṃrakṣaṇam: protection/guarding
• saṃrakṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃrakṣaṇa (संरक्षण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāryam: must be done
• kāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कार्य-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective: ‘to be done/should be done’ qualifying ‘saṃrakṣaṇam’

• yatnataḥ: carefully/with effort
• yatnataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatna (यत्न-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अर्थे क्रियाविशेषणवत्): ‘with effort/carefully’

• sūtikā-gṛhe: in the maternity chamber
• sūtikā-gṛhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtikā (सूतिका-प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (गृह-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘sūtikāyāḥ gṛhe’

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rakṣā-vidhi
• Naming of afflicting entities
• Postpartum protection

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text prioritizes care ethics: the vulnerable require deliberate safeguarding. Naming the threat functions pedagogically—making vigilance concrete and actionable.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘flesh-eater’ motif externalizes destructive tendencies that prey on new beginnings; protection rites represent disciplined containment of chaos at thresholds.