Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 23

Adhyaya 45 — Jaimini’s Cosmological Questions and the Opening of Markandeya’s Account of Primary Creation

Sanskrit

वेदान् सप्तर्षयस्तस्माज्जगृहुस्तस्य मानसाः ।

पुराणं जगृहुश्चाद्या मुनयस्तस्य मानसाः ॥

Transliteration

vedān saptarṣayas tasmāj jagṛhus tasya mānasāḥ | purāṇaṃ jagṛhuś cādyā munayas tasya mānasāḥ ||

Translation

由他而来，七圣仙（Saptarṣi）以意生之子而受持诸《吠陀》；同样，原初的圣贤也以意生之子而受得《往世书》（由他而出）。

Word by Word

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• सप्तर्षयः: the seven sages
• सप्तर्षयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: from him
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• जगृहुḥ: received, took
• जगृहुḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• मानसाः: mind-born
• मानसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण of सप्तर्षयः (mind-born)

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जगृहुḥ: received, took
• जगृहुḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आद्याः: the first, primeval
• आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण of मुनयः

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानसाः: mind-born
• मानसाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण of मुनयः

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Saptarṣi lineage
• Mind-born creation (mānasa-sṛṣṭi)
• Textual authority and transmission

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Knowledge is entrusted to exemplary custodians (Saptarṣis), implying that preservation requires virtue and capacity. The verse also links revelation with purity of mind—‘mānasa’ points to an origin beyond ordinary material generation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga-related: it references mānasa-sṛṣṭi (mind-born emanation) and establishes the early custodians who transmit cosmology and genealogy (vaṃśa).

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Mind-born’ suggests that the deepest sources of dharma are archetypal and intelligible: the cosmos is structured first in consciousness (manas) before manifesting outwardly.