Shloka 8

Adhyaya 30 — Madālasā’s Instruction on Household Duties and Naimittika–Śrāddha Rites

Sanskrit

मृताहनि च कर्तव्यमेकोद्दिष्टं शृणुष्व तत् ।

दैवहीनं तथा कार्यं तथैवैकपवित्रकम् ॥

Transliteration

mṛtāhani ca kartavyam ekoddiṣṭaṃ śṛṇuṣva tat | daivahīnaṃ tathā kāryaṃ tathaivāikapavitrakam ||

Translation

মৃত্যুর দিন একোद्दিষ্ট শ্রাদ্ধ করা উচিত—তার বিধি শোনো। এটি দেব-ভাগ (দৈবাংশ) বর্জিতভাবে, এবং তদ্রূপ একটিমাত্র পবিত্র (কুশ-আংটি) সহ করা হয়।

Word by Word

• मृताहनि: on the day of death
• मृताहनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृताहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—मृत + अहन् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘मृतस्य अहनि’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done; should be performed
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्य (gerundive/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• एकोद्‌दिष्टम्: the single oblation/rite called ekoddiṣṭa
• एकोद्‌दिष्टम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—एकं च तत् उद्दिष्टम् (कर्मधारयः)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्: that (instruction/thing)
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दैवहीनम्: without (invocation of) deities
• दैवहीनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—दैवेन हीनम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः) ‘without divine (rites)’

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कार्यम्: to be done; should be performed
• कार्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कार्य (gerundive/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• एकपवित्रकम्: the rite/act with a single pavitra (ring of kuśa)
• एकपवित्रकम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + पवित्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—एकं पवित्रकं यस्मिन्/यत् (कर्मधारयः)

Speakers

• Instructional narrator within the Dharma/ritual discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Preta (departed spirit) / Pitṛ-related context

Key Themes

• Antyeṣṭi-related rites
• Ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha
• Ritual minimalism
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

In liminal moments (death), dharma prescribes focused, simplified rites directed to the immediate need of the departed, reflecting compassion and ritual clarity.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/ācāra instruction; not directly pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Daivahīna’ concentrates intention on the preta’s transition; ‘ekapavitra’ symbolizes single-pointed purification and dedication.