Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 18

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

शुभे द्रुततरं कार्यमिति प्राह प्रजापतिः ।

गण्डान्तेषु स्थितश्चान्यो मुहूर्तार्धं द्विजोत्तम ॥

Transliteration

śubhe drutataraṃ kāryam iti prāha prajāpatiḥ | gaṇḍānteṣu sthitaś cānyo muhūrtārdhaṃ dvijottama ||

Translation

生主（Prajāpati）说道：“当征兆吉祥时，应更迅速地行事。”又有另一种情状在一段 gaṇḍa 的两端停留半个 muhūrta，噢，最胜的再生者。

Word by Word

• śubhe: in the auspicious (case)
• śubhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'in auspicious (time/condition)'

• drutataraṃ: more quickly
• drutataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: druta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); comparative (तरप्) used adverbially qualifying kāryam

• kāryam: (it) is to be done / a task
• kāryam: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate-noun with implied 'asti'

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इत्यादि-वाचक अव्यय)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• prajāpatiḥ: Prajāpati
• prajāpatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• gaṇḍānteṣu: in the gaṇḍānta junctions (critical transitions)
• gaṇḍānteṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇḍānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sthitaḥ: standing/remaining
• sthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (स्थित, कृदन्त from √sthā धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• anyaḥ: another
• anyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• muhūrta-ardham: for half a muhūrta
• muhūrta-ardham: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); अव्ययीभाव-like sense but treated as तत्पुरुष: 'muhūrtasya ardham' (half of a muhūrta)

• dvija-uttama: O best of Brahmins
• dvija-uttama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'uttamaḥ dvijaḥ'

Speakers

• Instruction cites ‘Prajāpati’ as authority; addressee is ‘dvijottama’.

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Prajāpati

Key Themes

• Auspicious timing
• Muhūrta awareness
• Omens
• Ritual pragmatics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Auspicious opportunity should be met with prompt, decisive action; dharma is not only restraint but also timely performance of right action when conditions support it.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary ācāra/muhūrta guidance; not pancalakṣaṇa narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Gaṇḍa’ as a knot/junction suggests liminal instability; half-muhūrta indicates that subtle conditions fluctuate. The teaching implies sensitivity to transitional states—externally (time) and internally (mind).