Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 78, Shloka 30

Adhyaya 78 — Hymn to Surya and the Distribution of Solar Splendour; Genealogy of Vaivasvata and Chaya’s Line

Sanskrit

यमुना च नदी जज्ञे कलिन्दान्तरवाहिनी ।

अश्विनौ देवभिषजौ कृतौ पित्रा महात्मना ॥

Transliteration

yamunā ca nadī jajñe kalindāntaravāhinī / aśvinau devabhiṣajau kṛtau pitrā mahātmanā

Translation

又有阎牟那河（Yamunā）诞生，流经/沿着迦林陀（Kalinda）山域而行；而两位阿湿毗尼（Aśvin）则由其大心之父立为诸天的神圣医师。

Word by Word

• yamunā: Yamunā
• yamunā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yamunā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.)

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

• nadī: river
• nadī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); अप्पोज़िशन (apposition) to yamunā

• jajñe: was born/arose
• jajñe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.)

• kalinda-antara-vāhinī: flowing through Kalinda
• kalinda-antara-vāhinī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalinda (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला: 'flowing through/within Kalinda (mountain)'

• aśvinau: the Aśvins (twin gods)
• aśvinau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), द्विवचन (du.)

• deva-bhiṣajau: physicians of the gods
• deva-bhiṣajau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhiṣaj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), द्विवचन (du.); विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः: 'physicians of the gods'

• kṛtau: were made/appointed
• kṛtau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), द्विवचन (du.); कर्मणि प्रयोगभावः: 'were made/appointed'

• pitrā: by the father
• pitrā: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.)

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled (father)
• mahātmanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण; कर्मधारयः: 'great-souled' qualifying pitrā

Speakers

• Narratorial Purāṇic narration

Primary Deities

• Yamunā (river goddess)
• Aśvinau
• Sūrya (as father)

Key Themes

• Sacred geography
• Divine functions
• Healing and protection

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Purāṇa ties wellbeing to both place and function: sacred rivers sustain life externally, while divine medicine (Aśvins) sustains it internally—both are dharmic supports.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Vaṃśānucarita (origins of Yamunā and Aśvins in this line) with a touch of sarga-like etiological explanation for sacred geography.

What is the esoteric significance?

Yamunā as a flowing current parallels prāṇa; paired with the Aśvins, the verse links ‘flow’ and ‘healing’ as two faces of life’s restoration.