Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 35, Shloka 37

Adhyaya 35 — Madālasa’s Instruction on Purity, Impurity, and Corrective Rites (Śauca and Aśauca)

Sanskrit

संस्पृश्य शुध्यते स्त्रानादुदक्यां ग्रामशूकरौ । तद्वच्च सूतिकाशौचदूषितौ पुरुषावपि ॥

Transliteration

saṃspṛśya śudhyate strānād udakyāṃ grāmaśūkarau / tadvat ca sūtikāśauca-dūṣitau puruṣāv api

Translation

If one touches them, one becomes purified by bathing—for example, in the case of a village pig and contact connected with impure water. Likewise, even two men tainted by childbirth-impurity (sūtikā-aśauca) are cleansed by bathing after contact.

Word by Word

• saṃspṛśya: having touched
• saṃspṛśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam- (उपसर्ग) + spṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय/ल्यप्): √spṛś + ल्यप् with upasarga sam-; 'having touched'

• śudhyate: becomes purified
• śudhyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śudh (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• snānāt: from bathing/by bathing
• snānāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• udakyām: a menstruating woman
• udakyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udakyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• grāma-śūkarau: two village pigs
• grāma-śūkarau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāma (प्रातिपदिक) + śūkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; समास: ग्रामस्य शूकरौ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• tad-vat: likewise
• tad-vat: Sambandha (उपमान/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Adverbial comparative (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय): 'like that/in the same way'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sūtikā-śauca-dūṣitau: (two) tainted by the impurity of childbirth
• sūtikā-śauca-dūṣitau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūtikā (प्रातिपदिक) + śauca (प्रातिपदिक) + dūṣita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; समास: सूतिकायाः शौचेन दूषितौ (instrumental/ablative-tatpuruṣa sense)

• puruṣau: two men
• puruṣau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि = 'also/even')

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction voice within the Purāṇic discourse (didactic narration; not Devi Māhātmya)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Snāna (bathing)
• Aśauca (impurity)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text prescribes a practical remedy—bathing—for contact-based impurity, emphasizing restoration rather than obsession: impurity is manageable through prescribed acts.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ancillary dharma/ācāra instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Touch represents subtle exchange (saṅga). Bathing symbolizes resetting one’s energetic/mental boundary after unwanted absorption from the environment.