Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 23, Shloka 62

Adhyaya 23 — Ashvatara’s Vow for Madalasa and the Bestowal of Musical Science by Sarasvati

Sanskrit

तुतोष गीतकैस्तौ च प्राहेशो गृह्यतां वरः ।

ततः प्रणम्याश्वतरः कंबलेन समं तदा ॥

Transliteration

tutoṣa gītakaistau ca prāheśo gṛhyatāṃ varaḥ | tataḥ praṇamyāśvataraḥ kambalena samaṃ tadā ||

Translation

因他们的赞颂之歌而欢喜，主宰（摩诃伊舍，Maheśa）说道：“当受一愿。”于是阿湿伐多罗与甘婆罗一同俯首礼拜。

Word by Word

• तुतोष: was pleased
• तुतोष: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• गीतकैः: with songs/verses
• गीतकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (plural)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), द्विवचन (dual)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; रूपम्: प्राह (irregular perfect of √brū)

• ईशः: the Lord (Śiva)
• ईशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• गृह्यताम्: let (it) be accepted
• गृह्यताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive/impersonal sense): “let … be accepted/taken”

• वरः: a boon
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable)

• अश्वतरः: Aśvatara (name)
• अश्वतरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• कम्बलेन: with Kambala (name)
• कम्बलेन: Sahakāraka (सह/सहयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• समम्: together
• समम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): “together/equally”

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• Narratorial verse; Śiva speaks within the verse

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Maheśa/Mahādeva)

Key Themes

• Bhakti (praise leading to grace)
• Vara-pradāna (granting of boons)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Stuti (devotional praise) is presented as a direct means to win īśvara-prasāda (divine favor). The verse models humility (praṇāma) as the proper posture when receiving power (vara).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Ānucarita (subsidiary/illustrative narrative) rather than Sarga/Pratisarga/Manvantara/Vaṃśa/Vaṃśānucarita; it teaches dharma through an episode of boon-granting.

What is the esoteric significance?

Song (gīta) symbolizes the harmonizing of prāṇa and mind; when inner discord subsides, grace ‘speaks’ as the readiness to receive a boon—i.e., spiritual capacity (adhikāra).