Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 40

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

Sanskrit

ससर्ज शब्दतन्मात्रादाकाशं शब्दलक्षणम् ।

आकाशं शब्दमात्रन्तु भूतादिश्चावृणोत्ततः ॥

Transliteration

sasarja śabdatanmātrād ākāśaṃ śabdalakṣaṇam | ākāśaṃ śabdamātraṃ tu bhūtādiś cāvṛṇot tataḥ ||

Translation

由声音的微细精髓，他生出ākāśa（虚空/以太），其特征为“声”。随后bhūtādi包覆此虚空；彼唯具“声”这一种德性。

Word by Word

• ससर्ज: created/emitted
• ससर्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• शब्द-तन्मात्रात्: from the subtle element of sound
• शब्द-तन्मात्रात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śabdasya tanmātrāt)

• आकाशम्: ether/space
• आकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• शब्द-लक्षणम्: characterized by sound
• शब्द-लक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (śabda-lakṣaṇam = having sound as its mark)

• आकाशम्: ether
• आकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शब्द-मात्रम्: having only sound
• शब्द-मात्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (śabda-mātram = only sound)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (contrast/emphasis)

• भूत-आदिः: the origin/source of the elements
• भूत-आदिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (bhūtānām ādiḥ = the origin of elements)

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

• अवृणोत्: covered/enveloped
• अवृणोत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon/then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa/Avyaya (अधिकरण/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), कारण/अनन्तर (thereupon/then; from that)

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided extract

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Mahābhūtas
• Ākāśa
• Śabda

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text links each element to a defining quality; orderly understanding comes from recognizing defining characteristics rather than confusing categories—an implicit call to clarity and right discernment.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga: transition from tanmātra (subtle) to mahābhūta (gross element), beginning with ākāśa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ākāśa as the first gross element is still extremely subtle; in yogic symbolism it corresponds to inner spaciousness and the field in which mantra (sound) resonates.