Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 81, Shloka 42

Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account

Sanskrit

ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा ।

बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति ॥

Transliteration

jñāninām api cetāṃsi devī bhagavatī hi sā / balād ākṛṣya mohāya mahāmāyā prayacchati

Translation

即便是智者之心——她，那吉祥的女神——也能强力牵引至迷妄；大幻力（Mahāmāyā）赐予这种使人迷乱的能力。

Word by Word

• jñāninām: of the wise
• jñāninām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘even’

• cetāṃsi: minds
• cetāṃsi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhagavatī: the Blessed/Divine (Lady)
• bhagavatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन), qualifying devī

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) giving emphasis/causal nuance ‘indeed/for’

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• balāt: forcibly
• balāt: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन) used adverbially ‘by force/forcibly’

• ākṛṣya: having drawn (away)
• ākṛṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kṛṣ (आ + कृष् धातु)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having drawn/pulled’

• mohāya: for delusion
• mohāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-māyā: Mahāmāyā
• mahā-māyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prayacchati: bestows / gives over
• prayacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√yam (प्र + यम् धातु)
• Form: Present indicative (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speakers

• Ṛṣi speaking

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Bhagavatī / Mahāmāyā)

Shakti Aspects

• Devī as Bhagavatī; Mahāmāyā (explicit)

Key Themes

• Mahāmāyā
• Power of delusion
• Limits of intellectualism
• Śakti theology

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Wisdom must be stabilized through practice; otherwise even refined intellect can be overpowered by māyā. The verse encourages reliance on divine grace and disciplined living to prevent relapse into delusion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Theological upadeśa within the Devī Māhātmya’s praise of the Goddess; it supports the Purāṇic goal of mokṣa-oriented teaching rather than genealogical/cosmological cataloging.

What is the esoteric significance?

Mahāmāyā ‘pulling the mind’ describes the guṇa-driven magnetism of prakṛti over citta. In Śākta terms, the same supreme Śakti that binds through āvaraṇa (veiling) also liberates through anugraha (grace) when approached rightly.