Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 30, Shloka 11

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

Sanskrit

अभिरण्यतामिति ब्रूयाद् ब्रूयुस्ते 'भिरताः स्म ह ।

प्रतिमासं भवेदेतत् कार्यमावात्सरं नरैः ॥

Transliteration

abhiraṇyatām iti brūyād brūyus te 'bhiratāḥ sma ha | pratimāsaṃ bhaved etat kāryam ā vatsaraṃ naraiḥ ||

Translation

ಅವನು ‘ಅಭಿರಣ್ಯತಾಂ’ (ಆನಂದ/ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿ ಇರಲಿ) ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಬೇಕು. ಅವರು (ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು) ‘ಅಭಿರತಾಃ ಸ್ಮ’ (ನಾವು ಸಂತುಷ್ಟರಾಗಿದ್ದೇವೆ) ಎಂದು ಉತ್ತರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಈ ವಿಧಿಯನ್ನು ಪುರುಷರು ಪ್ರತಿಮಾಸವೂ, ಪೂರ್ಣ ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷವರೆಗೆ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• अभिरण्यताम्: prosperity/abundance of wealth
• अभिरण्यताम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिरण्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यचिह्न (Quotative/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative)

• ब्रूयात्: should say
• ब्रूयात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रूयुः: should say
• ब्रूयुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभिरताः: delighted; engaged
• अभिरताः: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिरत (प्रातिपदिक; √रम् with abhi-, PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP)

• स्म: indeed; (narrative particle)
• स्म: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/भूतार्थ-निपात (particle, often with past narration)

• ह: indeed
• ह: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial) ‘each month’

• भवेत्: should be; should occur
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कार्यम्: to be done
• कार्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कार्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• आ: up to; until
• आ: अवधि (Limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अवधि-पर्यन्तार्थक अव्यय (preposition/adverb) ‘up to’

• वत्सरम्: a year
• वत्सरम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• नरैः: by men/people
• नरैः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Householder (yajamāna) and officiating brāhmaṇas (call-and-response within the rite)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs (implied)

Key Themes

• Monthly śrāddha cycle
• Ritual dialogue
• Dharma
• Preta-to-Pitṛ transition (implied by yearly cycle)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is sustained by repetition and community validation: the exchange of blessings marks social and ritual completion, while the year-long discipline expresses steady care for the departed.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ritual-dharma instruction; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

A monthly cadence mirrors lunar time; steady observance symbolically guides the departed through stages, converting grief into regulated offering and remembrance.