मार्कण्डेय-पुराणम्
mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇam
-
chapter-76, verse-23
स गुरोस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा विहस्यैवमथाब्रवीत् ।
वन्द्या मे कतमा माता जननी पालनी नु किम् ॥२३॥
वन्द्या मे कतमा माता जननी पालनी नु किम् ॥२३॥
23. sa gurostadvacaḥ śrutvā vihasyaivamathābravīt .
vandyā me katamā mātā jananī pālanī nu kim.
vandyā me katamā mātā jananī pālanī nu kim.
23.
saḥ guroḥ tat vacaḥ śrutvā vihasya evam atha
abravīt vandyā me katamā mātā jananī pālanī nu kim
abravīt vandyā me katamā mātā jananī pālanī nu kim
23.
He, having heard that instruction from the guru (teacher), then smiled and spoke: 'Which of my mothers is to be revered? Is it the one who gave birth, or the one who raised me?'
Words meanings summery:
(Scroll down for elaborated words morphology)
- सः (saḥ) - Refers to the boy, Ānanda. (he, that)
- गुरोः (guroḥ) - of the guru, from the guru
- तत् (tat) - Refers to the instruction/word previously given. (that)
- वचः (vacaḥ) - The instruction or command. (word, speech, saying)
- श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, after hearing
- विहस्य (vihasya) - having smiled, after smiling
- एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, so
- अथ (atha) - Indicates a sequence of events. (then, now, moreover)
- अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - he spoke, he said
- वन्द्या (vandyā) - to be honored, venerable, praiseworthy
- मे (me) - Possessive 'my'. (to me, for me, my)
- कतमा (katamā) - Which one (among potential mothers). (which (of many), what kind of)
- माता (mātā) - mother
- जननी (jananī) - Specifically, the biological mother. (mother, birth-giver)
- पालनी (pālanī) - Referring to a mother who performs the act of nurturing or raising. (protecting, nourishing, one who protects/nurtures)
- नु (nu) - Expresses inquiry or doubt, introducing an alternative. (now, then, indeed, an interrogative particle)
- किम् (kim) - Used as an interrogative particle in a rhetorical or emphasizing question. (what, why, whether)
Words meanings and morphology
सः (saḥ) - Refers to the boy, Ānanda. (he, that)
(pronoun)
Nominative, masculine, singular of tad
tad - that, he, she, it
गुरोः (guroḥ) - of the guru, from the guru
(noun)
Genitive, masculine, singular of guru
guru - teacher, spiritual preceptor, heavy, important
u-stem noun.
Note: Can also be ablative; 'from the guru' makes more sense in context of hearing.
तत् (tat) - Refers to the instruction/word previously given. (that)
(pronoun)
Accusative, neuter, singular of tad
tad - that, he, she, it
Note: Agrees with 'vacaḥ'.
वचः (vacaḥ) - The instruction or command. (word, speech, saying)
(noun)
Accusative, neuter, singular of vacas
vacas - word, speech, saying, declaration
s-stem neuter noun.
Root: vac (class 2)
Note: Can also be nominative. Here, object of 'śrutvā'.
श्रुत्वा (śrutvā) - having heard, after hearing
(indeclinable)
Absolutive (Gerund)
From root √śru 'to hear' + -tvā suffix.
Root: śru (class 5)
विहस्य (vihasya) - having smiled, after smiling
(indeclinable)
Absolutive (Gerund)
From prefix vi- and root √has 'to laugh/smile' + -ya suffix (used with prefixes).
Prefix: vi
Root: has (class 1)
एवम् (evam) - thus, in this manner, so
(indeclinable)
अथ (atha) - Indicates a sequence of events. (then, now, moreover)
(indeclinable)
अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - he spoke, he said
(verb)
3rd person , singular, active, past imperfect (Laṅ) of brū
Imperfect
3rd singular, active voice. Augment 'a-' indicates imperfect.
Root: brū (class 2)
वन्द्या (vandyā) - to be honored, venerable, praiseworthy
(adjective)
Nominative, feminine, singular of vandya
vandya - to be honored, to be praised, venerable, praiseworthy
Gerundive
From root √vand 'to salute, praise' + -ya suffix.
Root: vand (class 1)
मे (me) - Possessive 'my'. (to me, for me, my)
(pronoun)
Genitive, singular of aham
aham - I, me
Enclitic form of the 1st person pronoun.
कतमा (katamā) - Which one (among potential mothers). (which (of many), what kind of)
(interrogative pronoun)
माता (mātā) - mother
(noun)
Nominative, feminine, singular of mātṛ
mātṛ - mother
r-stem noun.
जननी (jananī) - Specifically, the biological mother. (mother, birth-giver)
(noun)
Nominative, feminine, singular of jananī
jananī - mother, birth-giver
ī-ending feminine noun, from root √jan 'to be born'.
Root: jan (class 4)
पालनी (pālanī) - Referring to a mother who performs the act of nurturing or raising. (protecting, nourishing, one who protects/nurtures)
(adjective)
Nominative, feminine, singular of pālanī
pālanī - protecting, nourishing, maintaining; (feminine form) one who protects/nurtures
Gerundive
From root √pāl 'to protect, nourish' + -anīya suffix (implied via -anī).
Root: pāl (class 10)
Note: 'She who protects'
नु (nu) - Expresses inquiry or doubt, introducing an alternative. (now, then, indeed, an interrogative particle)
(indeclinable)
किम् (kim) - Used as an interrogative particle in a rhetorical or emphasizing question. (what, why, whether)
(indeclinable)
Interrogative particle/pronoun.