Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 63, Shloka 25

Adhyaya 63 — The Birth of Svarocis and the Rescue of Manoramā: The Astra-Heart and the Healing of Curses

Sanskrit

स्वायम्भुवो वसिष्ठाय सिद्धवर्याय दत्तवान् ।

तेनापि दत्तं मन्मातुः पित्रे चित्रायुधाय वै ॥

Transliteration

svāyambhuvo vasiṣṭhāya siddhavaryāya dattavān | tenāpi dattaṃ manmātuḥ pitre citrāyudhāya vai ||

Translation

自生者（Svāyambhuva）将其授予婆悉吒（Vasiṣṭha），为诸成就者之最上。婆悉吒又将其授予我母之父——质多罗优陀（Citrāyudha）。

Word by Word

• स्वायम्भुवः: Svāyambhuva (Manu)
• स्वायम्भुवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वायम्भुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Nominative singular

• वसिष्ठाय: to Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्; Dative singular

• सिद्धवर्याय: to the foremost siddha
• सिद्धवर्याय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Dative singular; कर्मधारयः: सिद्धः वर्यः (‘best among the siddhas’)

• दत्तवान्: gave / has given
• दत्तवान्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; used periphrastically = ‘gave’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसके, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular ‘by him’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; particle (also/even)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; agrees with implied ‘(astram)’

• मत्-मातुः: of my mother
• मत्-मातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Genitive singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: मम माता (‘my mother’)

• पित्रे: to (my) father
• पित्रे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्; Dative singular

• चित्रायुधाय: to Citrāyudha
• चित्रायुधाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Dative singular; कर्मधारयः: चित्रम् आयुधं यस्य (‘having a wondrous weapon’)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; emphatic particle

Speakers

• Unspecified narrator/speaker within the story recounting the paramparā

Key Themes

• Paramparā/authentication
• Sage Vasiṣṭha
• Family-line transmission of vidyā

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Sacred power is framed as entrusted heritage: it is carried through recognized exemplars (Vasiṣṭha) and responsibly handed down, emphasizing continuity and legitimacy over improvisation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is not a vaṃśa list in the formal purāṇic sense, but it resembles micro-vaṃśānucarita (line-of-transmission narrative) used to validate a mantra/teaching.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘right channel’ (adhikāra) is highlighted: siddhas and seers serve as conduits ensuring the teaching remains efficacious and not corrupted by egoic misuse.