Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 45, Shloka 41

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

Sanskrit

स्पर्शतन्मात्रमेवेह जायते नात्र संशयः ।

बलवान् जायते वायुस् तस्य स्पर्शगुणो मतः ॥

Transliteration

sparśatanmātram eveha jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ | balavān jāyate vāyus tasya sparśaguṇo mataḥ ||

Translation

于此，触之微细本质（sparśa-tanmātra）生起——毫无疑惑。继而强大的vāyu（风/气）诞生，其德性被认为是“触”。

Word by Word

• स्पर्श-तन्मात्रम्: the subtle element of touch
• स्पर्श-तन्मात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sparśasya tanmātram)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• इह: here/in this context
• इह: Adhikaraṇa/Avyaya (अधिकरण/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa/Avyaya (अधिकरण/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलवान्: powerful
• बलवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of vāyuḥ)

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वायुः: wind/air
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of it/of that (air)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• स्पर्श-गुणः: the quality of touch
• स्पर्श-गुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (sparśa-guṇaḥ = the quality of touch)

• मतः: considered/held to be
• मतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative: 'is considered')

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided extract

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Vāyu
• Sparśa
• Tanmātra to element

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Qualities (guṇas) are treated as diagnostic markers of reality-levels. In practice, it encourages observing experience (touch, movement) as properties of nature rather than of the self.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Sarga: continues the generation of mahābhūtas from their corresponding tanmātras.

What is the esoteric significance?

Vāyu symbolizes prāṇa and dynamism; mastering ‘touch/movement’ inwardly hints at prāṇāyāma and regulation of life-force.