Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 91, Shloka 42

Adhyaya 91 — The Gods’ Hymn to Kātyāyanī and the Goddess’ Prophecy of Future Manifestations

Sanskrit

ततो मां देवताः स्वर्गे मर्त्यलोके च मानवाः ।

स्तुवन्तो व्याहरिष्यन्ति सततं रक्तदन्तिकाम् ॥

Transliteration

tato māṃ devatāḥ svarge martyaloke ca mānavāḥ | stuvanto vyāhariṣyanti satataṃ raktadantikām ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, chư thiên trên cõi trời và loài người nơi thế gian hữu tử, ca ngợi Ta, sẽ luôn luôn xưng tụng Ta là Raktadantikā, “Đấng có răng (ngà) đỏ”.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), temporal adverb (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• devatāḥ: the deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• martyaloke: in the world of mortals
• martyaloke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martyaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (martyānāṃ lokaḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• mānavāḥ: humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• stuvantaḥ: praising
• stuvantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• vyāhariṣyanti: will utter/proclaim
• vyāhariṣyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• satataṃ: constantly
• satataṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial usage), नित्यत्वबोधक (always/constantly)

• raktadantikām: Raktadantikā (the red-toothed one)
• raktadantikām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raktadantikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः कर्मधारयः (raktā dantikā)

Speakers

• Devī (as narrator/speaker) within the Devi Mahatmyam frame

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Durgā/Caṇḍikā)

Shakti Aspects

• Raktadantikā

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine epithets
• Protective intervention
• Phalaśruti tone (assurance of remembrance/praise)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes smaraṇa and stuti (remembrance and praise) as enduring modes of relationship with the Divine: Devī’s protection is paired with her being invoked by name, showing devotion as a sustaining dharmic response to fear and disorder.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily connected to Vaṃśānucarita/Carita (narrative of divine deeds) rather than sarga/pratisarga; it is an avatāra-name prophecy within a mythic-hymnic conclusion.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Raktadantikā’ symbolizes ferocity directed toward adharma: the ‘red’ (rakta) suggests battle-energy and life-force, while ‘dantī’ (toothed/tusked) evokes the power to tear through inner and outer negativity.