Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 10, Shloka 36

Adhyaya 10 — Jaimini’s Questions on Birth, Death, Karma, and the Embodied Journey

Sanskrit

अहमासं पुरा विप्रो न्यस्तात्मा परमात्मनि ।

आत्मविद्याविचारेषु परां निष्ठामुपागतः ॥

Transliteration

aham āsaṃ purā vipro nyastātmā paramātmani | ātma-vidyā-vicāreṣu parāṃ niṣṭhām upāgataḥ ||

Translation

往昔我为婆罗门，安置自我于至上真我之中；于自我之智的探求里，我已证得最高的坚定安住。

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचन (Singular), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st)

• आसम्: was
• आसम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न्यस्तात्मा: one whose self was placed (absorbed)
• न्यस्तात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त (कृदन्त; √न्यस्/न्यास् धातु) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (possessive): ‘न्यस्तः आत्मा यस्य सः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘न्यस्त’ = क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle)

• परमात्मनि: in the Supreme Self
• परमात्मनि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास: परमः आत्मा; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन

• आत्मविद्याविचारेषु: in inquiries into self-knowledge
• आत्मविद्याविचारेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मविद्या (प्रातिपदिक; समास) + विचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative): आत्मविद्यायाः विचाराः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘निष्ठाम्’

• निष्ठाम्: steadfastness
• निष्ठाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• उपागतः: having attained
• उपागतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) from √गम् with उपसर्ग ‘उप’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having attained’

Speakers

• Son (bird) narrating his former birth

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Paramātman (Supreme Self)

Key Themes

• Ātma-vicāra
• Yoga/meditation
• Mokṣa orientation
• Renunciate ideal

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The highest aim is steady abidance in Self-knowledge; dharma culminates in inner realization, not merely external status. The verse presents a classical mokṣa-path: surrender of ego into the Supreme and sustained inquiry.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Mokṣa-śāstra instruction embedded in narrative; not a cosmological or dynastic unit, but a Purāṇic teaching on the puruṣārtha of liberation.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Nyasta-ātmā’ indicates dissolution of possessiveness and doership; ‘paramātman’ frames non-dual orientation where individual identity is re-centered in the Absolute.