Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 40, Shloka 13

Adhyaya 40 — The Yogin’s Impediments (Upasargas), Subtle Concentrations, and the Eight Siddhis

Sanskrit

नाशयेच्चित्तमावर्त उपसर्गः स उच्यते ।

एतैर्नाशितयोगास्तु सकला देवयोनयः ॥

Transliteration

nāśayeccittamāvarta upasargaḥ sa ucyate | etairnāśitayogāstu sakalā devayonayaḥ ||

Translation

那摧毁心识之旋涡，称为“障碍”（upasarga）。由于这些，凡具天生神性之众生，其瑜伽皆被败坏。

Word by Word

• nāśayet: should destroy
• nāśayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative sense in context ‘should destroy’

• cittam: the mind
• cittam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• āvartaḥ: whirlpool (disturbance)
• āvartaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āvarta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• upasargaḥ: an affliction/obstacle
• upasargaḥ: Pratijna/Predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upasarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• saḥ: that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is called’

• etaiḥ: by these
• etaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• nāśita-yogāḥ: those whose yoga is destroyed / with yoga ruined
• nāśita-yogāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśita (√naś, क्त-कृदन्त) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—नाशितः योगः येषाम्/नाशितयोगाः (कर्मधारयः: ‘destroyed yoga’)

• tu: indeed, but
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ

• sakalāḥ: all
• sakalāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying devayonayaḥ)

• deva-yonayaḥ: divine births/species
• deva-yonayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—देवानां योनयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided excerpt (within Markandeya Purana’s instructional dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Upasarga (hindrances)
• Citta-nāśa (loss of inner steadiness)
• Even celestial beings are vulnerable

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Spiritual practice is not guaranteed by status: even ‘divine’ births can fail when inner turbulence overwhelms the citta. Vigilance and humility are implied.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic yoga-teaching; not a pañcalakṣaṇa unit. It functions as practical sādhanā guidance embedded in a purāṇic discourse.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘mind-destroying vortex’ points to subtle collapses where the practitioner loses the very instrument of liberation (citta). Obstacles are not merely external; they can de-form the inner organ.