Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 35, Shloka 42

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

Sanskrit

प्रोताय सलिलं देयं बहिर्दग्ध्वा तु गोत्रिकैः ।

प्रथमे 'ह्नि चतुर्थे च सप्तमे नवमे तथा ॥

Transliteration

protāya salilaṃ deyaṃ bahir dagdhvā tu gotrikaiḥ | prathame 'hni caturthe ca saptame navame tathā ||

Translation

ਮ੍ਰਿਤਕ ਨੂੰ ਪਾਣੀ ਭੇਟ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਬਾਹਰ ਸਸਕਾਰ ਕਰਨ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ, ਗੋਤ ਦੇ ਰਿਸ਼ਤੇਦਾਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਹਿਲੇ, ਚੌਥੇ, ਸੱਤਵੇਂ ਅਤੇ ਨੌਵੇਂ ਦਿਨ ਰਸਮਾਂ ਕਰਨੀਆਂ ਚਾਹੀਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• protāya: to/for the (corpse) laid out/strung
• protāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prota (कृदन्त, √vī/ve ‘to weave/string’ with pra-, ‘strung’)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used as adjective; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (masc./neut. context-dependent); ‘for the one who is strung/laid out’ i.e., the corpse

• salilam: water
• salilam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• deyam: should be given
• deyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धाातु)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्/यत्; here -य ‘deya’), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular agreeing with सलिलम्; expresses obligation

• bahiḥ: outside
• bahiḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• dagdhvā: having burned (it)
• dagdhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धाातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having burnt/cremated’

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक)

• gotrikaiḥ: by the clan-members/agnates
• gotrikaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotrika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• prathame: on the first
• prathame: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; elliptical with अह्नि

• ahni: day
• ahni: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

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

• caturthe: on the fourth
• caturthe: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; elliptical with अह्नि

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

• saptame: on the seventh
• saptame: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saptama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; elliptical with अह्नि

• navame: on the ninth
• navame: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: navama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; elliptical with अह्नि

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तुल्य/एवमेव अर्थे)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic discourse (speaker not specified in the excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Pitṛ-related rites
• Antyeṣṭi (cremation)
• Udaka-dāna (water offering)
• Gotra obligations

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes communal responsibility: gotra-kin assist the transition of the deceased through scheduled observances, turning private loss into shared dharmic duty.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not pancalakṣaṇa narrative; it is ritual-legal instruction (ācāra) embedded in purāṇic teaching.

What is the esoteric significance?

Udaka (water) functions as a liminal offering—cooling, sustaining, and symbolically guiding the departed through transitional states marked by specific day-counts.