Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 29, Shloka 32

Adhyaya 29 — Alarka’s Inquiry and Madalasa’s Teaching on Householder Dharma (Gārhasthya), Vaiśvadeva, and Atithi Hospitality

Sanskrit

स दत्त्वा दुष्कृतं तस्मै पुण्यमादाय गच्छति ।

अप्यम्बुशाकदानेन यद्वाप्यश्नाति स स्वयम् ॥

Transliteration

sa dattvā duṣkṛtaṃ tasmai puṇyam ādāya gacchati / apy ambuśākadānena yadvāpy aśnāti sa svayam

Translation

ਉਹ ਅਤਿਥੀ ਉਸ (ਗ੍ਰਿਹਸਥ) ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣਾ ਪਾਪ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਪੁੰਨ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਚਲਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ—ਭਾਵੇਂ ਮਿਜ਼ਬਾਨ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਪਾਣੀ ਤੇ ਸਾਗ ਹੀ ਦੇਵੇ, ਜਾਂ ਅਤਿਥੀ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਉਹ ਖਾ ਲਵੇ।

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable; denotes prior action

• duṣkṛtam: evil deed/sin
• duṣkṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• puṇyam: merit
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-dā (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्), indeclinable; denotes prior action

• gacchati: goes
• gacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning even/also

• ambu-śāka-dānena: by the gift of water and greens
• ambu-śāka-dānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; dvandva: ambu ca śākaṃ ca (water and greens) + dāna (gift)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun, object of aśnāti

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक निपात)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning also/even

• aśnāti: eats
• aśnāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction voice within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic section

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Atithi-satkāra
• Puṇya-pāpa transfer motif
• Merit
• Generosity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse intensifies the duty of hospitality: refusal harms the host spiritually, while even modest offerings (water/greens) uphold dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Normative dharma teaching; not a pancalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘exchange’ of puṇya/pāpa dramatizes how intention and reception shape karmic outcomes: the guest becomes a mirror through which the host’s inner generosity is measured.