Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 84, Shloka 31

Adhyaya 84 — The Gods’ Hymn after the Slaying of Mahishasura and the Goddess’ Boon

Sanskrit

कर्तव्यमपरं यच्च दुष्करं तन्न विद्महे ।

इत्याकर्ण्य वचो देव्याः प्रत्यऊचुस्ते दिवौकसः ॥

Transliteration

kartavyam aparaṃ yac ca duṣkaraṃ tan na vidmahe | ity ākarṇya vaco devyāḥ pratyūcus te divaukasaḥ ||

Translation

“我们不知道还有任何其他应做之事——也不知道还有什么对你而言艰难而未成之事。”听闻女神之言后，天界诸神如是回答。

Word by Word

• कर्तव्यम्: (something) to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), ‘to be done’

• अपरम्: other, further
• अपरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यत्: which/that (thing)
• यत्: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Relative pronoun/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दुष्करम्: difficult to do
• दुष्करम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; अनाफोरिक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• विद्महे: we know
• विद्महे: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘we know’

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-चिह्न (Quotative marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु) → आकर्ण्य (क्त्वान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्राय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having heard’

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• प्रत्यऊचुः: they replied
• प्रत्यऊचुः: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (अनद्यतन-भूत/अोरिस्ट), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they replied’

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दिवौकसः: the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसः: कर्ता-अप्पोज़िशन (Apposition to subject/सम्बोधन-न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘heaven-dwellers’

Speakers

• Devas replying after hearing the Goddess (narration continues in Ṛṣi’s voice in surrounding verses)

Primary Deities

• Devī
• Devas

Shakti Aspects

• Bhadrakālī / Devī (victorious Goddess after slaying Mahiṣāsura)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Divine grace
• Restoration of cosmic order
• Boon-bestowal

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The gods acknowledge that the supreme power (Devī) has already resolved what was impossible for them, emphasizing humility and recognition of divine agency in restoring dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily aligns with Manvantara and Rakṣā (protection/restoration) themes; it is a divine intervention narrative within the manvantara frame rather than sarga/pratisarga genealogy.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘nothing remains to be done’ motif signals pūrṇatā (completeness): when Śakti manifests, limitation is transcended and the cosmos returns to equilibrium.