Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 82, Shloka 54

Adhyaya 82 — The Rise of Mahishasura and the Manifestation of the Goddess from the Gods’ Tejas

Sanskrit

युयुधुस्ते परशुभिर्भिन्दिपालासिपट्टिशैः ।

नाशयन्तोऽसुरगणान् देवीशक्त्युपबृंहिताः ॥

Transliteration

yuyudhuste paraśubhirbhindipālāsipaṭṭiśaiḥ / nāśayanto 'suragaṇān devīśaktyupabṛṃhitāḥ

Translation

Những đoàn chúng ấy chiến đấu bằng rìu, bhindipāla, kiếm và pattisa, tiêu diệt các bầy quỷ, được củng cố và ban quyền năng bởi śakti của Nữ Thần.

Word by Word

• युयुधुः: they fought
• युयुधुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (युध्) (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परशुभिः: with axes
• परशुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भिन्दिपाल-असि-पट्टिशैः: with javelins, swords, and spears
• भिन्दिपाल-असि-पट्टिशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhindipāla (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + paṭṭiśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative)

• नाशयन्तः: destroying
• नाशयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nāśayant (√naś caus. √naś/naśy) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि (active)

• असुर-गणान्: the demon hosts
• असुर-गणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवी-शक्त्या: by the Goddess's power
• देवी-शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपबृंहिताः: strengthened/augmented
• उपबृंहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upabṛṃhita (√bṛṃh + upa) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते-विशेषण)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within Devi Mahatmyam

Primary Deities

• Devi (Ambika/Chandika)
• Gaṇas (emanated hosts)

Shakti Aspects

• Ambika/Chandika’s śakti empowering emanated hosts

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Empowerment by śakti
• Destruction of asuric forces

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Power used rightly is derivative: the gaṇas succeed not by egoic might but by being ‘upabṛṃhita’—augmented—through the Devi’s śakti, underscoring humility and source-dependence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

An episode illustrating divine agency and moral order; not a direct pancalakṣaṇa unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

The gaṇas represent sub-functions of consciousness. When infused by śakti, they become instruments of purification, dismantling chaotic tendencies (asura-gaṇas) within and without.