Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 30

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

Sanskrit

महताद्यं विशेषान्तं सवैरूप्यं सलक्षणम् ।

प्रमाणैः पञ्चभिर्गम्यं स्रोतॊभिः षड्भिरन्वितम् ॥

Transliteration

mahad-ādyaṃ viśeṣāntaṃ sa-vairūpyaṃ sa-lakṣaṇam |

pramāṇaiḥ pañcabhir gamyaṃ strotobhiḥ ṣaḍbhir anvitam ||

Translation

此教义论述从“大（Mahat）”起至诸“差别（Viśeṣa）”止的一系列原理，具足其种种类别与界定之相；当以五种正量（pramāṇa）而知，并与六种“流/道”（strotas）相连。

Word by Word

• महत्-आद्यम्: beginning with Mahat
• महत्-आद्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थ): ‘महतः आद्यम्’

• विशेष-अन्तम्: ending with the particulars (viśeṣas)
• विशेष-अन्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘विशेषः अन्तः यस्य’ (ending in the particulars)

• स-वैरूप्यम्: with diversity of forms
• स-वैरूप्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + वैरूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘वैरूप्येन सह’ (having diversity of forms)

• स-लक्षणम्: with distinguishing marks
• स-लक्षणम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘लक्षणेन सह’ (having characteristics)

• प्रमाणैः: by means of measures/standards
• प्रमाणैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• पञ्चभिः: by five
• पञ्चभिः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• गम्यम्: knowable/attainable
• गम्यम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गम्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावे क्तव्य/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive): ‘to be known/reached’

• स्रोतॊभिः: by channels/streams
• स्रोतॊभिः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• षड्भिः: by six
• षड्भिः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अन्वितम्: endowed with/connected with
• अन्वितम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वि-इ (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त): ‘endowed/connected’

Speakers

• Narrator-speaker presenting a schematic of categories

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Sāṅkhya tattvas
• Epistemology (pramāṇa)
• Cosmic taxonomy
• Characterization (lakṣaṇa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Reality is presented as knowable through disciplined methods (pramāṇa) and careful definition (lakṣaṇa); ethically this promotes intellectual honesty and systematic inquiry rather than dogma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga: a technical outline of emanated principles from subtle to gross, typical of Purāṇic creation analysis influenced by Sāṅkhya.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Mahat to Viśeṣa’ can be read as the descent from universal intelligence to concrete particulars in perception; the mention of pramāṇas and strotas hints that both cognition and embodiment are channels through which the cosmos is experienced and mapped.