3 Review(s)

The Markandeya Purana is divided into five distinct parts, namely:- 1. Chapters 1-9, in which Jaimini is referred by Markandeya to the wise Birds, and they directly explain to him the four questions that perplexed him and some connected matters. 2. Chapters 10-41, where, though Jaimini propounds further questions to the Birds and they nominally expound them, yet the real speakers are Sumati, nicknamed Jada, and his father. 3. Chapters 42-78: here, though Jaimini and the Birds are the nominal speakers, yet the real speakers are Markandeya and his disciple Kraustuki. 4. Chapters 79-90, the Devi-mahatmya, (popularly known as Durgasaptasati) a pure interpolation, in which the real speaker is a Rishi named Medhas, and which is only repeated by Markandeya. 5. Chapters 91-134, Markandeya and Kraustuki carry on their discourse. In the end, the Birds close here the long discourse delivered by Markandeya, and Jaimini thanks them and departs.