Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 30, Shloka 22

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

Sanskrit

पूजयेयुर्यथान्यायं श्राद्धैर्नैमित्तिकैरपि ।

सर्वाभावे स्त्रियः कुर्युः स्वभर्तॄणाममन्त्रकम् ॥

Transliteration

pūjayeyur yathānyāyaṃ śrāddhair naimittikair api |

sarvābhāve striyaḥ kuryuḥ svabhartṝṇām amantrakam ||

Translation

They should honor the departed according to rule, even by occasional (naimittika) śrāddhas. If all eligible performers are absent, women should perform for their husbands an amantraka rite, without Vedic mantras.

Word by Word

• पूजयेयुः: should worship / honor
• पूजयेयुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative stem pūjay-)

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to rule
• यथा-न्यायम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण

• श्राद्धैः: with śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• नैमित्तिकैः: occasional / for a specific occasion
• नैमित्तिकैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śrāddhaiḥ)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• सर्व-अभावे: in the absence of all (male relatives)
• सर्व-अभावे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (in total absence)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• कुर्युः: should do / perform
• कुर्युः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्व-भर्तॄणाम्: of their own husbands
• स्व-भर्तॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (of their own husbands)

• अ-मन्त्रकम्: without mantras
• अ-मन्त्रकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + मन्त्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण (qualifying an implied rite/śrāddha)

Speakers

• Didactic ritual instruction (speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitri Puja
• Śrāddha-vidhi
• Naimittika rites
• Ritual fallback rules

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma prioritizes care for the departed over procedural rigidity: when standard agents are unavailable, the rite is permitted in a simplified, non-mantric form so that remembrance and offering do not lapse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/ācāra instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Amantraka performance underscores that intention, offering, and relational duty can sustain ritual efficacy even when Vedic recitation is not possible—highlighting an inner continuity beneath outer form.