Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 47, Shloka 12

Adhyaya 47 — Brahma’s Awakening and the Ninefold Scheme of Creation

Sanskrit

तेनाग्निना विशीर्णास्ते पर्वता भुवि सर्वशः ।

शैला एकार्णवे मग्ना वायुनापस्तु संहताः ॥

Transliteration

tenāgninā viśīrṇās te parvatā bhuvi sarvaśaḥ /

śailā ekārṇave magnā vāyunāpas tu saṃhatāḥ

Translation

因那火焰，大地诸山尽皆崩碎；岩块沉入唯一的大海，诸水又被风力驱聚一处。

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (instr sg pronoun)

• अग्निना: by fire
• अग्निना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (masc instr sg)

• विशीर्णाः: shattered
• विशीर्णाः: क्रिया (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-शॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘shattered/disintegrated’

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masc nom pl pronoun)

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masc nom pl)

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक; ‘earth’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (fem loc sg)

• सर्वशः: everywhere/entirely
• सर्वशः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: entirely/on all sides)

• शैलाः: rocks/mountains
• शैलाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masc nom pl)

• एकार्णवे: in the single ocean (cosmic sea)
• एकार्णवे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक; एक + अर्णव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (masc loc sg)

• मग्नाः: submerged
• मग्नाः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मग्न (प्रातिपदिक; from √मज्ज्)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषण (masc nom pl)

• वायुनā: by the wind
• वायुनā: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (masc instr sg)

• अपः: the waters
• अपः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (fem nom pl)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• संहताः: were gathered together
• संहताः: क्रिया (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हन्/सम्-धा (धातु; sense ‘gathered/compacted’)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘gathered/compacted’ (agreeing with अपः)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within cosmological account

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Cosmic elements (Agni, Vayu) as pralaya factors

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Pralaya mechanics
• Elements
• Ekarnava

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the most ‘solid’ certainties (mountains) are subject to dissolution; the passage inculcates detachment and recognition of elemental supremacy in cosmic cycles.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Pralaya/Pratisarga interface: description recalls pralaya conditions (ekārṇava, saṃvartakāgni) to frame the subsequent re-creation.

What is the esoteric significance?

Agni (transformative force) breaks fixed forms; Vāyu (motion/prāṇa) gathers the waters—together symbolizing purification and reconfiguration of the field before new manifestation.