Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 58, Shloka 15

Adhyaya 58 — The Kurma-Form of Narayana: Mapping Bharata through Nakshatras, Regions, and Planetary Afflictions

Sanskrit

रौद्रः पुनर्वसुः पुष्यो नक्षत्रत्रितयं मुखे ।

पादे तु दक्षिणे देशाः क्रौष्टुके वदतः शृणु ॥

Transliteration

raudraḥ punarvasuḥ puṣyo nakṣatratritayaṃ mukhe / pāde tu dakṣiṇe deśāḥ krauṣṭuke vadataḥ śṛṇu

Translation

罗陀罗（Raudra）、普那尔婆苏（Punarvasu）与补沙（Puṣya）——此三宿（nakṣatra）位于口部之域。今且听我所说：在名为克劳什图迦（Krauṣṭuka）的分区中，位于南足之上的诸国。

Word by Word

• रौद्रः: Raudra (nakṣatra)
• रौद्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• पुनर्वसुः: Punarvasu (nakṣatra)
• पुनर्वसुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्वसु (प्रातिपदिक; पुनर् + वसु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (पुनः वसुः)

• पुष्यः: Puṣya (nakṣatra)
• पुष्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: the triad of nakṣatras
• नक्षत्रत्रितयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्रत्रितय (प्रातिपदिक; नक्षत्र + त्रितय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नक्षत्राणां त्रितयम्)

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पादे: in the foot
• पादे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• दक्षिणे: in the right (one)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पादे)

• देशाः: regions/countries
• देशाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• क्रौष्टुके: in Krauṣṭuka (context/section)
• क्रौष्टुके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौष्टुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in/at Krauṣṭuka)

• वदतः: of the speaker / while (I am) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष?—न; रूपं: वदतः = वद्-धातोः शतृ/शानच्-सम्भवः इति न; अत्र ‘वदतः’ = षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन/द्विवचन of present participle ‘वदत्’ (कृदन्त) used substantively: ‘of (me) speaking/while speaking’

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Prayojaka (प्रयोजक/Imperative to listener)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic exposition (speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmography
• Astral geography (nakṣatra mapping)
• Directional regional lists

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text integrates terrestrial space with celestial order (nakṣatras), reinforcing the Purāṇic principle that human habitation mirrors a larger cosmic rhythm.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Sthāna, with an astral-cosmographic sublayer (linking earth-divisions to nakṣatra groupings).

What is the esoteric significance?

Nakṣatra triads can function as ‘cosmic coordinates’: assigning regions to lunar stations suggests a ritual-astral grid where time (lunar motion) and space (directions/limbs) interlock.