Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 40

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

Sanskrit

तस्याथ रक्षां कुर्वोत विक्षिप्तैः सितसर्षपैः ।

आसने शयने चोर्व्यां यत्रास्ते स तु मानवः ॥

Transliteration

tasyātha rakṣāṃ kurvota vikṣiptaiḥ sita-sarṣapaiḥ | āsane śayane corvyāṃ yatrāste sa tu mānavaḥ ||

Translation

Đối với nàng (tức Bhrāmaṇī), nên làm phép hộ vệ bằng cách rải hạt cải trắng—trên chỗ ngồi, trên giường, và trên nền đất nơi người ấy ngồi.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भक अव्यय (then/now)

• रक्षाम्: protection/guarding rite
• रक्षाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• विक्षिप्तैः: scattered
• विक्षिप्तैः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + क्षिप् (धातु) → विक्षिप्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masculine) / नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter) instrumental plural agreeing with ‘सर्षपैः’, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• सितसर्षपैः: with white mustard-seeds
• सितसर्षपैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित + सर्षप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• आसने: on the seat
• आसने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (singular)

• शयने: on the bed
• शयने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• उर्व्याम्: on the ground/earth
• उर्व्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन (singular)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa—relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• आस्ते: sits/remains
• आस्ते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle)

• मानवः: the man
• मानवः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

Speakers

• Didactic narration

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Apotropaic rite
• Mustard-seed protection
• Household ritual practice

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The prescription emphasizes practical, repeatable remedies integrated into daily spaces (seat/bed), reinforcing the dharmic ideal that protection is maintained through regular, embodied practice.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/rakṣā-vidhi; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mustard seeds are widely used as ‘cutting’/warding agents; symbolically, the scattering marks boundaries and interrupts the ‘whirling’ influence attributed to Bhrāmaṇī.