Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 31

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

तस्याग्रतस्तथा काली शूलपातविदारितान् ।

खट्वाङ्गपोथितांश्चारिन् कुर्वती व्यचरत्तदा ॥

Transliteration

tasyāgratas tathā kālī śūla-pāta-vidāritān /

khaṭvāṅga-pothitāṃś cārīn kurvatī vyacarat tadā //

Translation

Trước mặt Nữ Thần, Kālī liền rong ruổi, khiến các chiến binh trở thành kẻ bị xé nát bởi đinh ba giáng xuống của nàng và kẻ bị nghiền nát bởi chùy khaṭvāṅga của nàng.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of her/of that (goddess)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘in front/before’

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• काली: Kālī
• काली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूल-पात-विदारितान्: (enemies) torn by spear-strikes
• शूल-पात-विदारितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūla + pāta + vidārita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘vidārita’ (√dṛ + vi + kta) PPP; तत्पुरुषः ‘torn by the fall/strike of a spear’ qualifying ‘अरिन्’

• खट्वाङ्ग-पोथितान्: smashed by a club
• खट्वाङ्ग-पोथितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaṭvāṅga + pothita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘pothita’ (√poth/puṭh? kta) PPP ‘smashed’; तत्पुरुषः ‘smashed with a club (khaṭvāṅga)’ qualifying ‘अरिन्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• अरिन्: enemies
• अरिन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural) (Vedic/epic form for ‘arīn’)

• कुर्वती: doing/making (thus)
• कुर्वती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + शतृ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक-शतृ (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘doing/making’ (agreeing with काली)

• व्यचरत्: she moved about
• व्यचरत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Devi Mahatmyam

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Kālī
• Devī (Chāṇḍikā/Durgā)

Shakti Aspects

• Kālī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Fierce compassion
• Destruction of evil
• Battle iconography

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When adharma becomes entrenched, the tradition legitimizes ‘fierce’ remedial force—yet always as protection of cosmic order, not as personal rage.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Episodic sacred history (vaṃśānucarita-type), embedded within a devotional-theological section.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kālī represents time (kāla) that devours all distortions; the trident and khaṭvāṅga symbolize piercing the threefold affliction and shattering ego-structures.