Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 31, Shloka 40

Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure

Sanskrit

तथैव मातामहानां विधिरुक्तो मनीषिभिः । विष्टारार्थे कुशान् दत्त्वा पूज्य चार्घ्यादिना बुधः ॥

Transliteration

tathaiva mātāmahānāṃ vidhir ukto manīṣibhiḥ / viṣṭarārthe kuśān dattvā pūjya cārghyādinā budhaḥ

Translation

याच प्रकारे मातामहांची विधीही ज्ञानीजनांनी सांगितली आहे. कुशांनी विष्टर (आसन) देऊन, बुद्धिमानाने अर्घ्य इत्यादी अर्पणांनी त्यांची पूजा करावी.

Word by Word

• tathā-eva: just so/likewise indeed
• tathā-eva: Sambandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय) + eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb + emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• mātāmahānām: of the maternal grandfathers
• mātāmahānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vidhiḥ: the procedure/rite
• vidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uktaḥ: said/declared
• uktaḥ: Kriya (क्रियाविशेष/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय, क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with vidhiḥ

• manīṣibhiḥ: by sages/wise men
• manīṣibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• viṣṭara-arthe: for the purpose of the seat (viṣṭara)
• viṣṭara-arthe: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṭara (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); purpose-locative ‘for the seat/spread’

• kuśān: kuśa grasses
• kuśān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, ल्यबन्त), ‘having given’

• pūjya: should worship
• pūjya: Vidhi (विधेय/आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (ण्यत्/य-प्रत्यय, कर्तव्यतार्थक), ‘to be worshipped/should be worshipped’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• arghya-ādinā: with arghya and the like
• arghya-ādinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arghya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘with arghya etc.’

• budhaḥ: the wise man
• budhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Dharmic instruction within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs (maternal line)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-pūjā
• Mātāmaha
• Ritual materials (kuśa, arghya)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The maternal lineage is explicitly honored alongside the paternal, underscoring completeness in gratitude and remembrance; dharma includes acknowledging all lines of ancestral support.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

This is ritual-ācāra instruction rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita narrative content.

What is the esoteric significance?

Kuśa as ‘seat’ signifies establishing a stable locus for subtle presence; arghya symbolizes offering one’s vital essence (respectfully externalized) to the ancestral continuum.