Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 35, Shloka 50

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

Sanskrit

तत्रापि शुद्धिरुद्दिष्टा पूर्वजन्मवतो दिनैः ।

दशद्वादशमासार्ध-माससङ्ख्यैर्दिनैर्गतैः ॥

Transliteration

tatrāpi śuddhir uddiṣṭā pūrvajanmavato dinaiḥ /

daśadvādaśamāsārdha-māsasaṃkhyair dinair gataiḥ

Translation

たとえその場合であっても、浄化（śuddhi）の期間は、過ぎ去った日数に応じて定められている――十か月または十二か月の数えによって、また半月・一か月という度量によっても、日が経つにつれて算定される。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

• अपि: also
• अपि: समुच्चय/अन्वय (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/conjunction)

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उद्दिष्टा: is prescribed/indicated
• उद्दिष्टा: विधेय/क्रियाविशेषण (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शुद्धिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• पूर्वजन्मवतः: of one having a former birth (i.e., the deceased)
• पूर्वजन्मवतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-जन्म-वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः: पूर्व (adj) + जन्म (noun) + वत् (possessive suffix)

• दिनैः: by days / with days
• दिनैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दशद्वादशमासार्धमाससङ्ख्यैः: by days counted as ten or twelve months and a half-month
• दशद्वादशमासार्धमाससङ्ख्यैः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘दिनैः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-द्वादश-मास-अर्ध-मास-सङ्ख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः (निर्धारण/विशेषण): दश-द्वादश (10–12) + मास (month) + अर्धमास (half-month) + सङ्ख्य (numbered/amount)

• दिनैः: by days
• दिनैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गतैः: elapsed/passed
• गतैः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘दिनैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speakers

• Instructional discourse within Alarka-anuśāsana frame (speaker not explicitly marked in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity rules)
• Ritual time-reckoning

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is not merely intention; it is also precision in observance. The verse emphasizes that purification is time-bound and rule-governed, encouraging disciplined conformity to śāstric measures of time.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This passage is primarily ācāra/dharma-śāstra material rather than pañcalakṣaṇa narrative. It relates secondarily to “vaṃśānucarita” only insofar as it appears inside a didactic-legend frame, but its direct function is prescriptive conduct.

What is the esoteric significance?

Purification periods symbolize the gradual re-stabilization of sattva after disruption (death-impurity/ritual disturbance). The calendrical counting mirrors the idea that inner clarity is restored through measured, repeated restraint.