Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 32, Shloka 14
Adhyaya 32 — Rules for Parvana Śrāddha: Foods that Please the Ancestors and Items to Avoid
वर्ज्यान्येतानि वै श्राद्धे यच्च वाचा न शस्यते ।
यच्चोत्कोचादिना प्राप्तं पतिताद्यदुपार्जितम् ॥
varjyāny etāni vai śrāddhe yac ca vācā na śasyate / yac cotkocādinā prāptaṃ patitādyad upārjitam
All these are indeed to be avoided in śrāddha; and also whatever is not sanctioned by right speech (not fit to be named or endorsed), whatever is obtained through bribes and the like, and whatever is gained from or through association with fallen or impure persons and similar sources.
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FAQs
The offering is judged not only by the item but by its moral provenance. Wealth gained through corruption or from degraded sources is treated as contaminating the rite, underscoring that dharma includes both means and ends.
This is dharma-śikṣā (ethical-ritual instruction), not a pancalakṣaṇa core (creation, genealogies, manvantaras, etc.).
Śrāddha is a ‘bridge’ act; impure acquisition disrupts the subtle continuity of merit. The text encodes a principle: the subtle quality (saṃskāra) of gain adheres to the gift.