Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 65

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

तस्माद्विज्ञाय देशर्क्षं ग्रहपीडां तथात्मनः ।

कुर्वोत शान्तिं मेधावी लोकवादांश्च सत्तम ॥

Transliteration

tasmād vijñāya deśarkṣaṃ grahapīḍāṃ tathātmanaḥ / kurvota śāntiṃ medhāvī lokavādāṃś ca sattama //

Translation

Vì thế, sau khi xác định điềm tinh tú của vùng ấy và cả sự tổn hại do hành tinh của chính mình, người trí nên cử hành các nghi lễ trấn an (śānti); đồng thời cũng phải lưu tâm đến các “lokavāda” (điềm báo/đồn truyền trong dân gian), hỡi bậc tối thượng trong hàng nam tử.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m./n.), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Abl. 5), एकवचन (sg.)

• vijñāya: having ascertained
• vijñāya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा/gerund)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive): 'having known'

• deśa-ṛkṣam: the region’s constellation
• deśa-ṛkṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'देशस्य ऋक्षम्' (the region's constellation)

• graha-pīḍām: affliction by planets
• graha-pīḍām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'ग्रहाणां पीडा'

• tathā: and also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/रीति-अव्यय (adverb: 'and also/likewise')

• ātmanaḥ: of oneself/one’s own
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg.)

• kurvota: do/perform (you all)
• kurvota: Kriya (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada); छान्दस/पौराणिक रूप: 'कुर्वोत' = 'कुरुत'

• śāntim: pacificatory rite/appeasement
• śāntim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), एकवचन (sg.)

• medhāvī: the wise man
• medhāvī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medhāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

• loka-vādān: public portents/rumours
• loka-vādān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'लोकस्य वादाः'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sattama: O best (of men)
• sattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित/प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.); उत्तम-तमा (superlative)

Speakers

• Not explicit in provided excerpt (didactic instruction addressing 'sattama')

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ritual practice
• Śānti rites
• Grahapīḍā
• Public omens (lokavāda)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Discernment (medhā) is paired with action: diagnose both collective and personal conditions, then respond through dharmic remediation rather than anxiety or neglect.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma-upadeśa (ritual/ethical guidance) appended to narrative-cosmological material; not itself sarga/pratisarga etc.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Deśa’ and ‘ātman’ are treated together: outer disorder mirrors inner disturbance; śānti becomes a technology of harmonizing self, society, and perceived cosmic rhythm.