Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 88, Shloka 21

Adhyaya 88 — The Manifestation of the Matrikas and the Slaying of Raktabija

Sanskrit

ततः परिवृतस्ताभिरीशानो देवशक्तिभिः ।

हन्यन्तामसुराः शीघ्रं मम प्रीत्या'ह चण्डिकाम् ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ parivṛtastābhirīśāno devaśaktibhiḥ /

hanyantāmasurāḥ śīghraṃ mama prītyā'ha caṇḍikām

Translation

于是，伊沙那（Īśāna）为诸神圣威力（Śakti）所环绕，对旃提迦（Caṇḍikā）说道：“愿诸阿修罗速速被诛——以遂我意。”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरवाचक (temporal adverb ‘then’)

• परिवृतः: surrounded
• परिवृतः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; predicate participle of ईशानः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थे—‘आवृतः/परिवेष्टितः’

• ताभिः: by them (those goddesses)
• ताभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईशानः: Īśāna (Śiva)
• ईशानः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवशक्तिभिः: by the divine powers (goddess-energies)
• देवशक्तिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument; with ‘surrounded’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘देवानां शक्तयः’

• हन्यन्ताम्: let (them) be slain
• हन्यन्ताम्: विधेय (Predicate/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• असुराः: the demons
• असुराः: कर्म (Karma/Object in passive; patient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of speed)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रीत्या: out of (my) pleasure, for (my) satisfaction
• प्रीत्या: हेतु/करण (Hetu/Karaṇa; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (instrumental of cause)

• अह: ah!
• अह: सम्बोधन/उद्गार (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्गार (interjection/exclamation)

• चण्डिकाम्: Caṇḍikā
• चण्डिकाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; addressed/mentioned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Īśāna (Śiva) addressing Caṇḍikā
• within the Devi Mahatmyam narration

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Īśāna (Śiva)
• Caṇḍikā

Shakti Aspects

• Caṇḍikā; collective Deva-Śaktis (Matrikās)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Śiva–Śakti coordination
• Destruction of adharma
• Divine command/mission

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Adharma is not tolerated indefinitely; divine governance includes decisive correction. The line also reflects the Puranic motif of Śiva honoring Śakti’s primacy in action while he sanctions the restoration of order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: a divine-historical episode illustrating dharma’s protection. It functions as didactic narrative rather than cosmogenesis or dynastic lists.

What is the esoteric significance?

Īśāna as pure witnessing consciousness ‘surrounded by powers’ indicates that consciousness, when allied with its śaktis (faculties), becomes efficacious—command becomes manifestation.