मार्कण्डेय-पुराणम् mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇam - chapter-39, verse-15

home » Scriptures Library » Markandeya Purana

View complete chapter

निमेषोन्मेषणे मात्रा कालो लघ्वक्षरस्तथा ।
प्राणायामस्य संख्यार्थं स्मृतो द्वादशमात्रिकः ॥१५॥

15. nimeṣonmeṣaṇe mātrā kālo laghvakṣarastathā .
prāṇāyāmasya saṃkhyārthaṃ smṛto dvādaśamātrikaḥ.

15. nimeṣonmeṣaṇe mātrā kālaḥ laghvakṣaraḥ tathā
prāṇāyāmasya saṃkhyārtham smṛtaḥ dvādaśamātrikaḥ

15. A blink (the closing and opening of the eyes) is considered a `mātrā` (unit of time), as is the time taken to pronounce a short syllable. For the purpose of counting the duration of `prāṇāyāma` (yoga), a measure consisting of twelve `mātrās` is traditionally stated.

Words meanings summery:

(Scroll down for elaborated words morphology)

निमेषोन्मेषणे (nimeṣonmeṣaṇe) - in the closing and opening of the eyes, a wink, a blink

मात्रा (mātrā) - unit of time, prosodic length, measure

कालः (kālaḥ) - time, period, appropriate time

लघ्वक्षरः (laghvakṣaraḥ) - short syllable

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly

प्राणायामस्य (prāṇāyāmasya) - of prāṇāyāma, of breath control

संख्यार्थम् (saṁkhyārtham) - for the purpose of counting, for calculation

स्मृतः (smṛtaḥ) - remembered, considered, stated, taught

द्वादशमात्रिकः (dvādaśamātrikaḥ) - consisting of twelve mātrās

Words meanings and morphology

निमेषोन्मेषणे (nimeṣonmeṣaṇe) - in the closing and opening of the eyes, a wink, a blink

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, dual of nimeṣonmeṣaṇa

nimeṣonmeṣaṇa - the closing and opening of the eyes, a blink

Compound of nimeṣa (closing) and unmeṣaṇa (opening).

Compound type : dvandva (nimeṣa+unmeṣaṇa)

nimeṣa – closing of the eyes, wink
noun (masculine)
Prefix: ni
Root: miṣ (class 4)
unmeṣaṇa – opening of the eyes, blooming
noun (neuter)
Prefix: ud
Root: miṣ (class 4)

Note: Can also be locative dual; nominative dual seems more fitting as subject.

मात्रा (mātrā) - unit of time, prosodic length, measure

(noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of mātrā

mātrā - measure, quantity, unit of time, prosodic length

From root mā (to measure) with suffix trā.

Root: mā

कालः (kālaḥ) - time, period, appropriate time

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of kāla

kāla - time, period, black

लघ्वक्षरः (laghvakṣaraḥ) - short syllable

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of laghvakṣara

laghvakṣara - short syllable

Compound of laghu (short) and akṣara (syllable).

Compound type : karmadhāraya (laghu+akṣara)

laghu – light, short, quick
adjective (masculine)
akṣara – syllable, imperishable, letter
noun (neuter)
Prefix: a
Root: kṣar (class 1)

Note: Refers to the time duration of a short syllable.

तथा (tathā) - thus, so, similarly

(indeclinable)

प्राणायामस्य (prāṇāyāmasya) - of prāṇāyāma, of breath control

(noun)

Genitive, masculine, singular of prāṇāyāma

prāṇāyāma - breath control, regulation of breath, (yoga)

Compound of prāṇa (breath) and āyāma (extension, control).

Compound type : tatpurusha (prāṇa+āyāma)

prāṇa – breath, life-force
noun (masculine)
Prefix: pra
Root: an (class 2)
āyāma – extension, control, restraint
noun (masculine)
Prefix: ā
Root: yam (class 1)

संख्यार्थम् (saṁkhyārtham) - for the purpose of counting, for calculation

(noun)

Accusative, neuter, singular of saṃkhyārtha

saṁkhyārtha - purpose of counting, for reckoning

Compound of saṃkhyā (number, counting) and artha (purpose). Used as adverbial accusative.

Compound type : tatpurusha (saṃkhyā+artha)