Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 63, Shloka 8

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

Sanskrit

ववृधे च महाभागो वयसाऽनुदिनं तथा ।

गुणौघैश्च यथा बालः कलाभिः शशिलाञ्छनः ॥

Transliteration

vavṛdhe ca mahābhāgo vayasā 'nudinaṃ tathā / guṇaughaiś ca yathā bālaḥ kalābhiḥ śaśalāñchanaḥ

Translation

那位有福者日复一日增长其年岁，并在德行的洪流中日益充盈——如同带有兔纹之月，随其分（月相）而渐次圆满。

Word by Word

• ववृधे: grew
• ववृधे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महा-भागः: very fortunate
• महा-भागः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय — 'greatly fortunate'

• वयसाऽनुदिनम्: by age, day by day
• वयसाऽनुदिनम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक) + anudinam (अव्यय)
• Form: वयसा: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental: 'by age'); अनुदिनम्: अव्यय (adverb)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (manner adverb) — 'thus/likewise'

• गुण-ओघैः: with an abundance of virtues
• गुण-ओघैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (ogha), तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (guṇānām oghaḥ) — 'streams/abundance of qualities'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (comparative) — 'as'

• बालः: a boy
• बालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कलाभिः: with phases (digits)
• कलाभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शशि-लाञ्छनः: the moon
• शशि-लाञ्छनः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśin (प्रातिपदिक) + lāñchana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि — 'he whose mark is the hare' = the moon

Speakers

• Markandeya narrating

Primary Deities

• Candra (as imagery: śaśalāñchana)

Key Themes

• Virtue development
• Auspicious growth imagery
• Biographical progression

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ideal of maturation is not mere aging but accretion of guṇas (virtues); the moon-phase simile implies gradual, measurable increase—ethical excellence is cultivated stepwise.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita: continued life-description of a notable person within the manvantara’s historical canvas.

What is the esoteric significance?

Moonlike waxing suggests the mind’s refinement and the steady increase of sattva; virtues ‘accumulate’ as kalās, hinting at inner completeness reached through stages.