Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 59, Shloka 3

Adhyaya 59 — Cosmic Geography and Yuga-Order: Bhadrashva, Ketumala, and the Northern Kuru Region

Sanskrit

जीवन्त्यत्र नरा ब्रह्मन् ! कृतत्रेतादिके क्रमात् ।

देवकूटस्य पूर्वस्य शैलेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः ॥

Transliteration

jīvanty atra narā brahman kṛta-tretādike kramāt / devakūṭasya pūrvasya śailendrasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

此处之人，噢婆罗门，依从自圆满劫（Kṛta）与三分劫（Tretā）起始的次第而生活。此地位于大山之主德瓦库塔（Devakūṭa）之东。

Word by Word

• जीवन्ति: live
• जीवन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin!/O sage!
• ब्रह्मन्: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कृत-त्रेता-आदिके: in the Kṛta, Tretā, etc. (yugas)
• कृत-त्रेता-आदिके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective: 'Kṛta and Tretā etc.'), used adjectivally (in the Kṛta, Tretā etc. [yugas])

• क्रमात्: in sequence/according to order
• क्रमात्: हेतु (Hetu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; adverbial ablative ('in due order')

• देवकूटस्य: of Devakūṭa
• देवकूटस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकूट (प्रातिपदिक; देव + कूट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• पूर्वस्य: of the eastern/former
• पूर्वस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; adjective qualifying शैलेन्द्रस्य

• शैलेन्द्रस्य: of the mountain-lord
• शैलेन्द्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; शैल + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास ('lord of mountains')

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; महा + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास, adjective qualifying शैलेन्द्रस्य

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a Brahmin interlocutor

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Sacred geography
• Yuga chronology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Human life is portrayed as conditioned by cosmic order; geography and time are intertwined in Purāṇic mapping, implying that environment and epoch shape dharma and human flourishing.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This belongs to cosmographical exposition used across Purāṇas as supportive material for 'Sarga/Pratisarga' world-structure narratives rather than direct genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘East of Devakūṭa’ can be read symbolically: the ‘east’ (udaya) suggests emergence/illumination—placing an idealized varṣa in the direction of spiritual dawn.