Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 40, Shloka 29

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

Sanskrit

अणिमा लघिमा चैव महिमा प्राप्तिरेव च ।

प्राकाम्यं च तथैशित्वं वशित्वञ्च तथापरम् ॥

Transliteration

aṇimā laghimā caiva mahimā prāptir eva ca /

prākāmyaṃ ca tatheśitvaṃ vaśitvañ ca tathāparam

Translation

阿尼玛（aṇimā）、拉吉玛（laghimā）、摩希玛（mahimā）、普拉普提（prāpti）、普拉卡米亚（prākāmya）、自在主宰（īśitva）、摄持支配（vaśitva），以及第八种（其他）神力——这些即为传统所称的八种悉地。

Word by Word

• अणिमा: minuteness (aṇimā)
• अणिमा: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Topic/Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अणिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• लघिमा: lightness (laghimā)
• लघिमा: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle “indeed/just”)

• महिमा: greatness (mahimā)
• महिमा: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• प्राप्तिः: attainment (prāpti)
• प्राप्तिः: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• प्राकाम्यम्: irresistible will (prākāmya)
• प्राकाम्यम्: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राकाम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चय (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb “thus/likewise”)

• ईशित्वम्: lordship (īśitva)
• ईशित्वम्: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• वशित्वम्: control (vaśitva)
• वशित्वम्: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वशित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चय (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• अपरम्: the other (one)
• अपरम्: विशेषण/उद्देश्य (Qualifier in enumeration)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular; “the other/another [siddhi]”)

Speakers

• Teacher addressing the king (implicit)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Yoga
• Siddhis
• Occult attainments
• Detachment from powers

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Listing siddhis contextualizes them as known byproducts of yogic mastery; the surrounding teaching (40.22) warns they are not the goal. Ethical emphasis remains on liberation, not display.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary yogic cataloguing; not a Pancalakṣaṇa category.

What is the esoteric significance?

The siddhis correspond to altered relations with space, weight, magnitude, and will—signs of mastery over the elemental matrix. In mokṣa-oriented readings, they are ‘milestones’ to be passed, not possessed.