Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 74, Shloka 57

Adhyaya 74 — King Svarashtra, the Deer-Queen’s Curse, and the Rise of Tamasa Manu

Sanskrit

सत्यास्तथान्ये सुधियः सुरूपा हरयस्तथा ।

एते देवगणास्तत्र सप्तविंशतिकाः मुने ॥

Transliteration

satyāstathānye sudhiyaḥ surūpā harayastathā / ete devagaṇāstatra saptaviṃśatikā mune

Translation

Tại đó, các nhóm chư thiên là Satyas, Anyas, Sudhiyas, Surūpas và cũng vậy Harayas. Hỡi bậc hiền thánh, các thiên chúng ấy có hai mươi bảy vị.

Word by Word

• satyāḥ: the Satyas (a class of gods)
• satyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवगण-नाम (proper class name)

• tathā: also
• tathā: Samuccaya/Anvaya (समुच्चय/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/likewise’

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sudhiyaḥ: the Sudhiyas (good-minded ones)
• sudhiyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: सु (good) + धि (intellect) → ‘good-minded’ (as a class-name)

• surūpāḥ: the Surūpas (fair-formed ones)
• surūpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: सु + रूप

• harayaḥ: the Haris
• harayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; देवगण-नाम

• tathā: also
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also’

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• deva-gaṇāḥ: groups of gods
• deva-gaṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: देवानां गणाः

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• saptaviṃśatikāḥ: twenty-seven (in number)
• saptaviṃśatikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound) meaning ‘consisting of 27’; adjective qualifying ‘deva-gaṇāḥ’

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speakers

• Markandeya narrating

Key Themes

• Cosmological taxonomy
• Manvantara enumeration
• Deva classes

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purāṇic cosmology stresses ordered plurality: many divine classes cooperate within a single age, suggesting dharma is upheld through coordinated functions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara: listing of deva-gaṇas is a core Manvantara marker across Purāṇic literature.

What is the esoteric significance?

Named deva-classes can be interpreted as differentiated ‘powers’ (śaktis in a general sense) that manifest harmoniously when an age is properly ordered.