Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 13

Adhyaya 34 — Madālāsā’s Instruction on Sadācāra (Householder Conduct, Purity, and Daily Rites)

Sanskrit

तद्वत् पापनिषेधार्थं धर्मः कार्यो विपश्चिता ।

परत्रार्थं तथैवान्यः काम्योऽत्रैव फलप्रदः ॥

Transliteration

tadvat pāpaniṣedhārthaṃ dharmaḥ kāryo vipaścitā | paratrārthaṃ tathaivānyaḥ kāmyo 'traiva phalapradaḥ ||

Translation

इसी प्रकार विद्वान् को पाप-निग्रह के लिए धर्म का आचरण करना चाहिए। एक अन्य धर्म परलोक के हेतु होता है, और काम्य (इच्छा-प्रेरित) धर्म का फल इसी लोक में मिलता है।

Word by Word

• तद्वत्: likewise, in that manner
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपमानार्थक-निपात (comparative particle)

• पाप-निषेध-अर्थम्: for the purpose of restraining sin
• पाप-निषेध-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣedha (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/उद्देश्य), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: पापस्य निषेधः, तस्य अर्थः)

• धर्मः: dharma, righteous duty
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कार्यः: to be done, should be performed
• कार्यः: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञार्थ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय) → kārya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/कर्तव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• विपश्चिता: by the wise (person)
• विपश्चिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/कर्तृ-विशेषणार्थे (by the wise person)

• परत्र-अर्थम्: for the sake of the hereafter
• परत्र-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paratra (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परत्र = परलोके, तस्य अर्थः)

• तथा: thus, in the same way
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अन्यः: another (kind)
• अन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kāmyaḥ)

• काम्यः: a desire-motivated (rite/action)
• काम्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; काम्यकर्म/काम्यधर्म-रूपः (desire-motivated act)

• अत्र: here (in this world)
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• एव: only, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात

• फल-प्रदः: fruit-giving, bestowing results
• फल-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक; √dā दा with pra- + कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (फलम् प्रददाति इति)

Speakers

• Didactic voice; classificatory teaching

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma typology
• Nishiddha vs. prescribed restraint
• Kāmya karma
• Trivarga balance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is presented with layered purposes: (1) preventing moral downfall (pāpa-niṣedha), (2) securing post-mortem welfare (paratra), while kāmya acts are acknowledged as yielding worldly results—yet are to be handled within dharmic bounds.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A dharma-analytic passage; not pañcalakṣaṇa narrative content.

What is the esoteric significance?

It distinguishes action driven by purification/restraint from action driven by desire—hinting at an inner hierarchy where reducing pāpa is closer to liberation-oriented clarity than fruit-seeking rites.