# मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/markandeya

मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) is a Sanskrit word meaning a descendant of Mrikanḍu, an ancient sage who authored the Markandeya Purana, the descendants of Markandeya, the wife of Rajas, the name of a sacred bathing place, composed by Markandeya. Its 19 recorded definitions are grouped into 7 contexts, among them The Sage Mārkaṇḍeya: Identity, Lineage, and Key Life Events, Distinct Puranic Figures/Aspects of Mārkaṇḍeya, Descendants of Mārkaṇḍeya.

- **Etymology:** E. मृकण्डु the father of the sage, and ढक् aff — E. mṛkaṇḍu the father of the sage, and ḍhak aff
- **SLP1:** `mArkaRqeya`  **IAST:** mārkaṇḍeya  **Devanagari:** मार्कण्डेय
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markandeya
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/markandeya/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** मार्कंडेय (mārkaṃḍeya)

## Meanings by context

### The Sage Mārkaṇḍeya: Identity, Lineage, and Key Life Events (11 definitions)
- 1. An ancient sage who authored the Markandeya Purana. 2. The descendants of Markandeya.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > cf. g. शुभ्रा (śubhrā) दि (di) patr. of an ancient sage (the reputed author or narrator of the Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa), Mahābhārata (Title); Rāmāyaṇa (Title) &c. ( pl. ) the descendants of M°, Saṃskārakaustubha (Title) [ ID=163350 ]
- 1. Son of Mrikanda and name of an ancient sage. 2. Descendants of Markandeya. 3. Composed by Markandeya.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 226-3 ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) mārkaṇḍeya, m. pat. son of Mṛkaṇḍa, N. of an ancient sage : pl. his descendants; a. composed by Mārkaṇḍeya: -purāṇa, n. T. of a Purāṇa. [ ID=14086 ]
- a holy sage, the supposed author or narrator of the Markandeya Purana  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 658 ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) MĀRKAṆḌEYA a holy sage, the supposed author or narrator of one of the Purāṇas, named the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. E. मृकण्डु (mṛkaṇḍu) the father of the sage, and ढक् (ḍhak) aff. [ ID=30255 ]
- Markandeya  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 590-b ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) ( यः ) ((yaḥ)) 1. m. Mārkandeya. [ ID=29791 ]
- A holy sage, the supposed author or narrator of the Markandeya Purana.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 565-a ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) MĀRKANDEYA a holy sage, the supposed author or narrator of one of the Purānas, named the Mārkandeya Purāṇa. E. मृकण्डु (mṛkaṇḍu) the father of the sage, and ढक् (ḍhak) aff. [ ID=31340 ]
- The name of a sage.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 0702-b ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) mārkaṇḍeya, m. The name of a Muni. [ ID=11236 ]
- 1. An ancient sage. 2. His descendants.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 408 ] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) m. patron. of an ancient sage, pl. his race. [ ID=24702 ]
- 1. A descendant of Mrikandu. 2. An ancient sage.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 0773-a ] Mārkaṇḍeya, as, m. a patronymic from Mṛ- kaṇḍu, (according to others also Mṛkaṇḍa); N. of an ancient sage (the reputed author or narrator of the Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa); ( ās ), m. pl. the descend- ants of Mārkaṇḍeya; ( am ), n. = mārkaṇḍeyasya tīrtham; (as, ī, am), delivered or composed by Mārkaṇḍeya. —Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa, am, n., N. of one of the eighteen Purāṇas, (in this Purāṇa Jaimini, the pupil of Vyāsa, applies to Mārkaṇḍeya to be made acquainted with the nature of Vāsudeva or Kṛṣṇa, and for an explanation of some of the incidents of the Mahā-bhārata; the sage excuses himself, and refers Jaimini to some sapient birds of celestial origin, residing in the Vindhya mountains, and profoundly versed in the Vedas; these birds, whose chief is called Piṅgākṣa, answer Jaimini's Page0773-b+ 80 questions and explain various difficult points, such as, ‘Why was Vāsudeva born a mortal? How was it Draupadī became the wife of the five Pāṇḍus?’ &c., &c. The answer to these inquiries and the addition of various legends constitute the bulk of this Purāṇa, and make it a kind of supplement to the Mahā- bhārata; it differs from all the other Purāṇas in its narrative rather than sectarial character.) [ ID=37172 ]
- a Brahmarshi  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 467-2 ] Mārkaṇḍeya, a Brahmarṣi. § 264 (Sabhākriyāp.): II, 4 α, 110 ( mahāmuniḥ, waited upon Yudhiṣṭhira).—§ 270 (Brahmasabhāv.): II, 11, 439 (in the palace of Yudhiṣṭhira). —§ 323 (Dvaitavanapr.): III, 25, †948 (came to the Pāṇ- ḍavas in the wood), (†952) (consoled Yudhiṣṭhira by relating the banishment of Rāma Dāśarathi).—§ 327 (Draupadī- paritāp.): III, 31, 1170 ( dharmeṇa cirajīvitā; all. to § 323).—§ 370 (Tīrthayātrāp.): III, 84, 8058 ( °sya… tīrthaṃ…Gomatī-Gaṅgayoś caiva saṅgame ).—§ 376 (do.): III, 85, 8263 (among the ṛṣis who expected Yudhiṣṭhira). —§ 377 (Dhaumyatīrthak.): III, 88, 8330 (at Payoṣṇī M. sang a genealogical verse ( anuvaṃśyāṃ…gāthāṃ ) about king Nṛga).—§ 452 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.): III, 183, 12561 ( bahuvatsarajīvī, will come to the Pāṇḍavas).—§ 453 (do.): III, 183, 12598 ( b: M. had lived many thousand years, but looked like a youth of twenty-five years old and was immortal), 12603, 12606, 12607, (12617) ( M. came to the Pāṇḍavas and discoursed upon various topics: ch. 184—232 ).—§ 454 (do., Page468-a+ 63 Brāhmaṇamāhātmya): III, 184, 12652, (12654).—§ 455 (do., do.): III, 185, (12677), (12695), (12700), (12709).— § 456 (do., Sarasvatī-Tārkṣyasaṃv.): III, 186, (12715), (†12718).—§ 457 (do., Vaivasvatop.): III, 187, 12746, (12747).—§ 458 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.): III, 188, 12805, (12821). —§ 459 (do.): III, 188, 12902 ( Bhārgava ), 12935 (had lived during the cataclysm, and then entered the stomach of Nārāyaṇa); 189, (12999).—§ 460 (do.): III, 190, 13009, (13015); 191, (13107), 13127, (13129), 13139, 13141.— § 461 (do., Vāmadevacarita): III, 192, 13142—4, (††13145), (†13196), (†13203), (†13210).—§ 462 (do., Baka-Śakrasaṃv.): III, 193, ††13212, (13216).—§ 463 (do., Śibi): III, 194, ††13248.—§ 464 (do., Yayāti): III, 195, (††13256).— § 465 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.): III, 196, ††13262.—§ 466 (do., Śibi): III, 197, (††13274) (only B.).—§ 467 (do., Rājanyamahā- bhāgya): III, 198, ††13301.—§ 468 (do., Indradyumnop.): III, 199, ††13331, ††13347.—§ 469 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.): III, 200, 13349, (13352), (13361).—§ 470 (do., Yamaloka): III, 200, 13392, (13394).—§ 471 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.): III, 200, (13414).—§ 472 (do.): III, 200, (13431).—§ 473 (do.): III, 200, (13470).—§ 474 (do.): III, 201, 13482, 13488, (13489).—§ 475 (do., Dhundhumārop.): III, 202, (13515).—§ 476 (do., do.): III, 202, (13523); 203, (13546).—§ 477 (do., do.): III, 203, (13554).—§ 478 (do., do.): III, 204, (13582).—§ 479 (do., Pativratop.): III, 205, 13628, (13643); 206, (13652), (13658), (13670), (13700).—§ 480 (do., do.): III, 207, (13701), (13717), (13760); 208, (13802); 209, (13842).—§ 481 (do., do.): III, 210, (13898).—§ 483 (do., do.): III, 211, (13920).— § 484 (do., do.): III, 212, (13947).—§ 485 (do., do.): III, 213, (13960).—§ 486 (do., do.): III, 214, (14000), (14004), (14017); 215, (14030).—§ 487 (do., do.): III, 216, (14094). —§ 488 (do., Āṅgirasa): III, 217, 14100, (14105), (14117).— § 489 (do., do.): III, 218, (14122).—§ 490 (do., do.): III, 219, (14130).—§ 491 (do., do.): III, 220, (14156).— § 493 (do., do.): III, 221, (14176); 222, (14208).—§ 495 (do., Skandotpatti): III, 223, (14241).—§ 496 (do., do.): III, 224, (14292); 225, (14299), (14308).—§ 497 (do., do.): III, 226, (14339).—§ 498 (do., do.): III, 226, (14355).— § 499 (do., Śakra-Skandasaṃv.): III, 227, (14368).—§ 500 (do., Skandop.): III, 228, (14387).—§ 501 (do., do.): III, 229, (14402), (14424).—§ 502 (do., Manuṣyagrahak.): III, 230, (14454), (14460), (14467), (14477).—§ 506 (do., Skandayuddha): III, 231, (14514), (14520).—§ 504 (do., do.): III, 231, (14527).—§ 506 (do., do.): III, 231, (14541).— § 507 (do., do.): III, 231, (14572).—§ 508 (do., Kārtti- keyastava): III, 232, 14629, (14630).—§ 509 (do., do.): III, 232, (14637).—§ 511 (Draupadī-Satyabhāmasaṃv.): III, 235, 14722.—§ 522 (Draupadīharaṇap.): III, 271, 15763.—§ 525 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 273, 15861; 274, (15872), (15877) (told the story of Rāma Dāśarathi: ch. 274—91 ).—§ 526 (do.): III, 275, (15889), (15915), (15920); 276, (15929), (15934).—§ 527 (do.): III, 277, (15947).—§ 529 (do., Sītāharaṇa): III, 278, (16001).— § 530 (do., Viśvāvasumokṣ.): III, 279, (16045).—§ 531 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 280, (16093).—§ 533 (do., Rāvaṇa- Sītāsaṃv.): III, 281, (16166).—§ 534 (do., Hanūmat- pratyāg.): III, 282, (16197).—§ 535 (do., Setubandhana): III, 283, (16269).—§ 536 (do., Laṅkāpraveśa): III, 284, (16323).—§ 537 (do., Rāma-Rāvaṇayuddha): III, 285, (16364).—§ 538 (do., Kumbhakarṇaraṇag.): III, 286, (16379).—§ 539 (do., Kumbhakarṇādivadha): III, 287, (16409).—§ 540 (do., Indrajidyuddha): III, 288, (16438).— Page468-b+ 63 § 541 (do., Indrajidvadha): III, 289, (16465).—§ 542 (do., Rāvaṇavadha): III, 290, (16498).—§ 543 (do., Rāmābhiṣeka): III, 291, (16531), (16568).—§ 544 (do., Yudhiṣṭhirāśvāsa): III, 292, (16602), 16615.—§ 545 (Pativratāmāhātmyap.): III, 293, (16619), (16634), (16652); 294, (16658), (16663), (16690); 295, (16691); 296, (16714), (16721), (16731), (16736), (16742); 297, (16747), (16761), (16802), (16815), (16842), (16848); 298, (16858), (16877), (†16901); 299, (16902) (told the story of Sāvitrī). —§ 547 (Karṇa): III, 310, †17219.—§ 581 (Bhīṣma- vadhap.): VI, 66 ο, 2999 (Bhīṣma had heard of the glory of Kṛṣṇa from M.); 67 π, 3016 (praised Kṛṣṇa); 68 ρ, 3039 (do.).—§ 606 (Karṇap., Tripurākhyāna): VIII, 33, 1392 ( mahān ṛṣiḥ, had related the Tripurākhyāna to Dhṛtarāṣṭra).—§ 635 (Rājadh.): XII, 37, 1356 ( °mukhāt kṛtsnaṃ yatidharmam avāptavān, sc. Bhīṣma).—§ 637 (do.): XII, 47 η, 1598 (among the ṛṣis who surrounded Bhīṣma). § 664 (Mokṣadh.): XII, 207 β, 7521 (had spoken of the glory of Kṛṣṇa).—§ 666 (do.): XII, 209, 7607 ( °āśrame ). —§ 712 (Śukotpatti): XII, 324, 12181 ( sa devacaritānīha kathayām āsa ).—§ 730 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 17, 1292 (Nāciketa communicated the 1,000 names of Śiva to M., who communicated them to Upamanyu).—§ 732 (do.): XIII, 22, 1537 ( °aḥ purā prāha ) (α), 1540 ( mataṃ… M°sya ), (1544) (a sentence of his is quoted).—§ 734 (do.): XIII, 26 α, 1763 (among the ṛṣis who surrounded Bhīṣma). § 743 (do.): XIII, 43, 2394 ( mahāmuniḥ, had told Bhīṣma the story of Vipula).—§ 761 (do.): XIII, 115, 5631 (discoursed on the demerits of eating meat).—§ 768 b (Umā- Maheśvarasaṃv.): XIII, 146 γ, 6750 (Dhūmorṇā is his wife).—§ 770 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 151 λ, 7122 (enumera- tion).—§ 777 (Svargārohanik. p.): XIII, 168, 7753 ( °a ivāparaḥ ).—§ 794 (Mahāprasthānikap.): XVII, 1, 12. Cf. Bhārgava, Bhārgavasattama, Bhṛgukulaśreṣṭha, Bhṛgu- nandana, Brahmarṣi, Viprarṣi. [ ID=7155 ]
- 1. A Siddha surviving the cosmic deluge and son of Mrakanda. 2. An authority on the story of Rama.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) [Printed book page 2-693 ] Mārkaṇḍeya (I) — a Siddha not lost in deluge; 1 son of Mṛkaṇḍa; 2 his firm and non-parallelled tapas and vow of Page2-694+ 39 celibacy; saw the Puruṣa sleeping on a leaf of the vaṭavṛksa; his āśrama near the Himālayas on a Śila-citra; Indra sent the God of Love, Apsaras and others to disturb him, but in vain; the mahātmā, seeing Hari in Nara-Nārāyaṇa form praised him; pleased with him as one who would be ever meditating on his feet Hari showed him what a Pralaya was; Pārvatī and Śiva. saw him, and were praised; when Śiva offered to grant him anything he wanted, he expressed his wish to be ever devoted to him and Hari; pleased with him Śiva went away with Pārvatī; this worthy son of the Bhṛgu race having earned Yogic vision and absolutely devoted to Hari even now goes about the world; 3 an authority on Rāma's story. 4 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. VI. 15. 12; M. 2. 13; 186-3.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. IV. 1. 45.] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. XII. Chh. 8, 9 and 10.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. VII. 1. 44.] [ ID=10697 ]
- A son of Manasvini and Mrikandu, having a wife named Dhumrapatni and a son named Vedashiras, and present at Rama's abhisheka.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Mārkaṇḍeya (IV) — a son of Manasvinī and Mṛkaṇḍu; 1 wife Dhūmrapatnī and son Vedaśiras; 2 present at Rāma's abhiṣeka. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Vā. 28. 5; Vi. I. 10. 4.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 11. 7.] [ Footnote: 3) Vi. IV. 4. 99.] [ ID=10700 ]

### Distinct Puranic Figures/Aspects of Mārkaṇḍeya (3 definitions)
- 1. A contemporary of Dattatreya. 2. A priest and incarnation born to assist Dattatreya. 3. The narrator of the Markandeya Purana. 4. A participant in Parashurama's sacrifice.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-694 ] Mārkaṇḍeya (II) — a contemporary of Dattātreya; Purohita, the fourth incarnation of Dāttātreya, born to help him; 1 narrated the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa; 2 acted as Brahmā in Paraśurāma's sacrifice. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Br. II. 33. 11; III. 73. 89; M. 47. 242; 53. 26; Vā. 98. 89; 109. 24; 112. 34.] [ Footnote: 2) M. 47. 242; 53. 26.] [ Footnote: 3) Br. III. 47. 46; IV. 39. 55.] [ ID=10698 ]
- 1. Spoke of the greatness of the Narmada to Yudhishthira. 2. Came to Syamantapancaka to see Krishna.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Mārkaṇḍeya (III) — speaks of the greatness of the Narmadā to Yudhiṣṭhira; 1 came to Syamantapāncaka to see Kṛṣṇa. 2 [ Footnote: 1) M. 190. 1; 191. 81; 192. 6; 193. 66; 194. 48.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. X. 84. 4.] [ ID=10699 ]
- a disciple of Indra Pramati entrusted with a Samhita  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Mārkaṇḍeya (V) — a disciple of Indra Pramati entrusted with a Samhitā; his son and grandson were respectively Satyaśravas and Satyahita who traditionally handed it down. Vā. 60. 27-28. [ ID=10701 ]

### Descendants of Mārkaṇḍeya (1 definition)
- the sages, descendants and sons of Pivari and Vedashiras  
  *The Purana Index*
  > [Printed book page 2-695 ] Mārkaṇḍeyas — the sages, descendants and sons of Pīvarī and Vedaśiras. Vā. 28. 6. [ ID=10702 ]

### Etymology of Mārkaṇḍeya (1 definition)
- a descendant of Mrikanḍu  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 812,2] मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) m. ( fr. मृकण्डु (mṛkaṇḍu) or ° ड (°ḍa) ) [ ID=163349 ]

### Mārkaṇḍeya Tīrtha (Sacred Place) (1 definition)
- the name of a sacred bathing place  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) n. N. of a Tīrtha, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=163352 ]

### Mārkaṇḍeyī (Wife of Rajas) (1 definition)
- the wife of Rajas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 812,2] मार्कण्डेयी (mārkaṇḍeyī) f. N. of the wife of Rajas, Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Title) [ ID=163351 ]

### Works Attributed to Mārkaṇḍeya (Adjectival) (1 definition)
- composed by Markandeya  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > मार्कण्डेय (mārkaṇḍeya) mfn. composed by M°, Purāṇas (Literary category); Madhusūdana (Author) [ ID=163353 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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