Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 17, Shloka 24

Adhyaya 17 — The Birth of Atri’s Three Sons: Soma, Dattatreya, and Durvasa

Sanskrit

मन्यमाना महात्मानं पीतासवसविक्रियम् ।

नावाप दोषं योगीशो वारुणीं स पिबन्नपि ॥

Transliteration

manyamānā mahātmānaṃ pītāsava-savikriyam /

nāvāpa doṣaṃ yogīśo vāruṇīṃ sa pibann api

Translation

他们视他为大心之人——虽因饮酒而形貌有变——瑜伽行者之主即使饮用vāruṇī（酒）亦不染过失。

Word by Word

• मन्यमाना: thinking/considering
• मन्यमाना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद-भावः

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महा + आत्मन्

• पीत-आसव-स-विक्रियम्: having drunk liquor and (yet) with no impairment
• पीत-आसव-स-विक्रियम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त) + आसव (प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय) + विक्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पीतासवः’ (drunk liquor) + ‘सविक्रियः’ (with alteration/impairment)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अवाप: incurred/obtained
• अवाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दोषम्: fault/sin
• दोषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• योगीशः: the lord of yogins
• योगीशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगीश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—योगिनाम् ईशः

• वारुणीम्: Vāruṇī (liquor)
• वारुणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारुणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पिबन्: drinking
• पिबन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (even/also)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within pitā–putra-saṃvāda; statement about a yogīśa (likely Dattātreya motif)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Karma and doṣa
• Adhikāra (eligibility) and exception
• Non-attachment
• Ethics of intoxicants

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text asserts an ‘exception by realization’: for a perfected yogin, inner freedom can nullify karmic fault that would bind ordinary persons. Ethically, it warns readers not to universalize the yogin’s license; most are still subject to doṣa.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ākhyāna used for dharma-vicāra (reflection on dharma). It is not genealogical vaṃśa material here, but a didactic aside within the broader narrative flow.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Vāruṇī’ can be read as a potent sense-object; the yogin’s ‘doṣa-less’ status signifies the burning of saṃskāras (latent impressions). The verse rhetorically elevates inner state over ritualistic purity markers.