Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 46, Shloka 8

Adhyaya 46 — Cosmic Dissolution, the Emergence of Brahma, and the Measures of Time (Yugas, Manvantaras, and Brahma’s Day)

Sanskrit

अहर्मुखे प्रबुद्धस्तु जगदादिरनादिमान् ।

सर्वहेतुरचिन्त्यात्मा परः कोऽप्यपरक्रियः ॥

Transliteration

ahar-mukhe prabuddhas tu jagadādir anādimān |

sarva-hetur acintyātmā paraḥ ko 'py apara-kriyaḥ ||

Translation

在宇宙“白昼”之初，世界之本源——而祂自身却无始——苏醒：为一切之因，性相不可思议，至上者，不依他缘而自在运作。

Word by Word

• ahar-mukhe: at daybreak; at the beginning of the day
• ahar-mukhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahar (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अहर्मुखे = अह्नः मुखे (at the beginning of the day)

• prabuddhaḥ: awakened
• prabuddhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√budh (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• jagad-ādiḥ: the origin of the world
• jagad-ādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जगदादिः = जगतः आदिः (origin of the world)

• anādi-mān: beginningless
• anādi-mān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anādi (प्रातिपदिक) + -mat (मतुप् तद्धित)
• Form: मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sarva-hetuḥ: the cause of all
• sarva-hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वहेतुः = सर्वस्य हेतुः (cause of all)

• acintya-ātmā: one whose nature is inconceivable / the inconceivable Self
• acintya-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-cintya (प्रातिपदिक; √cint + यत्) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: अचिन्त्यः आत्मा यस्य/अचिन्त्य आत्मा (as epithet)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• apara-kriyaḥ: of extraordinary/other (transcendent) activity; acting in a unique way
• apara-kriyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: अपरा (अन्या/असाधारणा) क्रिया यस्य / अपरा क्रिया (as epithet)

Speakers

• Mārkaṇḍeya

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Parameśvara / the Supreme Lord (unnamed absolute)

Key Themes

• The Supreme principle
• Cosmic dawn
• Causality
• Transcendence

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ultimate cause is portrayed as beyond ordinary thought yet operative in cosmic order. This encourages humility in metaphysical claims and devotion/discipline aligned with a higher order rather than egoic control.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sarga/Pratisarga theology: it identifies the transcendent regulator whose ‘awakening’ initiates the turn from dissolution to manifestation.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Awakening’ is figurative: consciousness does not literally sleep, but the metaphor indicates the onset of manifestation when the unmanifest becomes expressible—like awareness turning toward objects.