Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 80, Shloka 8

Adhyaya 80 — Vaivasvata Manvantara: Enumeration of Manus and the Eighth Manu Sāvarṇi

Sanskrit

सुराणाममिताभानां तृतीयमपि मे शृणु ।

दमो दान्तो ऋतः सोमो वित्ताद्याश्चैव विंशतिः ॥

Transliteration

surāṇām amitābhānāṃ tṛtīyam api me śṛṇu / damo dānto ṛtaḥ somo vittādyāś caiva viṃśatiḥ

Translation

也请从我处听闻第三类天神——阿弥陀婆斯：Dama、Dānta、Ṛta、Soma、Vitta等，合为二十位。

Word by Word

• सुराणाम्: of the gods
• सुराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अमिताभानाम्: of the Amitābhās
• अमिताभानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित-आभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (अमिता आभा येषाम्)

• तृतीयम्: the third (set)
• तृतीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘the third (group/list)’

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

• मे: to me / my
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic: ‘my/to me’)

• शृणु: hear/listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दमः: Dama
• दमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दान्तः: Dānta
• दान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘self-controlled/tamed’ (as name)

• ऋतः: Ṛta
• ऋतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वित्ताद्याः: beginning with Vitta
• वित्ताद्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वित्त-आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (आद्याः = ‘beginning with’; वित्त as first member)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• विंशतिः: twenty
• विंशतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्या (twenty)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the manvantara account (speaker not explicit in this verse)

Primary Deities

• Soma

Key Themes

• Cosmology
• Dharma (restraint and truth)
• Virtue as divine power

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By naming devas as ‘Dama’ (restraint) and ‘Dānta’ (disciplined), the text frames virtue not merely as human ethics but as cosmic power—self-control is a sustaining force of an age.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Manvantara: the verse continues the standard manvantara template—deva-gaṇas and their members.

What is the esoteric significance?

The Amitābhās (‘immeasurable radiance’) are paired with restraint and ṛta, suggesting that true ‘radiance’ is inner governance—illumination arising from disciplined alignment with cosmic order.