Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 91, Shloka 6

Adhyaya 91 — The Gods’ Hymn to Kātyāyanī and the Goddess’ Prophecy of Future Manifestations

Sanskrit

सर्वभूता यदा देवी स्वर्गमुक्तिप्रदायिनी ।

त्वं स्तुता स्तुतये का वा भवन्तु परमोक्तयः ॥

Transliteration

sarvabhūtā yadā devī svarga-mukti-pradāyinī | tvaṃ stutā stutaye kā vā bhavantu paramoktayaḥ ||

Translation

当女神以一切众生而存在，并且是赐予天界与解脱者时，一旦你已受赞颂——还有何种赞颂能够足够？又还能有什么所谓“至上之言”呢？

Word by Word

• sarva-bhūtā: (she who is) all beings
• sarva-bhūtā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त, भू धातु; क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (सर्वाणि भूतानि यस्याः/यत्र सा) = ‘all beings (as her form)’

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: when)

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• svarga-mukti-pradāyinī: bestowing heaven and liberation
• svarga-mukti-pradāyinī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + pradāyinī (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, दा धातु; णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गं च मुक्तिं च प्रददाति इति)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• stutā: (being) praised
• stutā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘praised’

• stutaye: for (your) praise
• stutaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the sake of praise)

• kā: what?
• kā: Prashna (प्रश्न/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• bhavantu: let there be
• bhavantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• parama-uktayaḥ: supreme utterances (praises)
• parama-uktayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमा उक्तयः)

Speakers

• Devas addressing Devī

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devī (Nārāyaṇī)
• Devas (collective)

Shakti Aspects

• Sarvabhūtā (all-beings form); Mokṣa-pradāyinī (giver of liberation)

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Moksha
• Devī as immanent in all beings
• Apophatic theology (limits of speech)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The highest goal (mukti) is granted by the same Reality present in all beings; thus compassion and non-harm follow naturally from perceiving the Divine in everyone.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily stuti; it relates to dharma-artha by linking worship with desired fruits (svarga) and the ultimate fruit (mukti), a common purāṇic function.

What is the esoteric significance?

If Devī is ‘all-beings,’ then the act of praise is also Devī praising herself through the devotee—suggesting non-duality between worshipper, worship, and worshipped.