Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 52

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

Sanskrit

उपरागे परं स्नानमृते दिनमुदाहृतम् ।

अपमृज्यान्न चास्नातो गात्राण्यंबरपाणिभिः ॥

Transliteration

uparāge paraṃ snānam ṛte dinam udāhṛtam | apamṛjyān na cāsnāto gātrāṇy ambarapāṇibhiḥ ||

Translation

ਉਪਰਾਗ (ਗ੍ਰਹਣ) ਵੇਲੇ ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨ ਨੂੰ ਪਰਮ ਪੁੰਨ ਕਿਹਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਨਿਸ਼ਿਧ ਦਿਨ (ਸ਼ਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ) ਇਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਸਰੀਰ ਪੂੰਝੇ; ਜਿਸ ਨੇ ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੀਤਾ ਉਹ ਕੱਪੜੇ ਅਤੇ ਹੱਥਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਅੰਗ ਨਾ ਪੂੰਝੇ।

Word by Word

• उपरागे: during an eclipse
• उपरागे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचनम्

• परम्: supreme/best
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; ‘श्रेष्ठ/उत्तम’

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्

• ऋते: except
• ऋते: Apādāna/Exclusion (अपादान/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय (except/without), उपपद-योगे पञ्चमी-अर्थः

• दिनम्: daytime/day
• दिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्

• उदाहृतम्: is declared/said
• उदाहृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• अपमृज्य: having wiped/cleansed
• अपमृज्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-मृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘अपमर्शनं कृत्वा’

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्नातः: (one who is) unbathed
• अस्नातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग ‘अ-’ (negation) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; ‘स्नातः’ = bathed, ‘अस्नातः’ = unbathed

• गात्राणि: limbs/body parts
• गात्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचनम्

• अम्बरपाणिभिः: with (one’s) hands covered by cloth
• अम्बरपाणिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः/करणार्थः: अम्बरेण पाणिभिः = with cloth-covered hands), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचनम्

Speakers

• Not identifiable from the provided verses alone.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Eclipse observances
• Ritual bathing

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity is treated as both physical and ritual: eclipses intensify the need for corrective observance (snāna), and one should not simulate the state of cleanliness without actually performing the purifying act.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/vrata-related instruction; not part of the five core purāṇic markers.

What is the esoteric significance?

Eclipses are liminal cosmic events; bathing functions as a re-alignment rite, symbolically restoring clarity when the luminaries are obscured.