Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 51, Shloka 38

Adhyaya 51 — Yaksha Injunctions: Graha-Children and Female Spirits Causing Domestic and Ritual Disruptions

Sanskrit

होमाग्निदेवताधूपभस्मना च परिष्क्रिया ।

कार्याः क्षीरादिभाण्डानामेवं तद्रक्षणं स्मृतम् ॥

Transliteration

homāgni-devatā-dhūpa-bhasmanā ca pariṣkriyā | kāryāḥ kṣīrādi-bhāṇḍānām evaṃ tad-rakṣaṇaṃ smṛtam ||

Translation

A purificação deve ser feita com a sacralidade da divindade do fogo do homa, com incenso e com cinza—especialmente para os vasos de leite e semelhantes. Assim se ensina a sua proteção.

Word by Word

• होमाग्निदेवताधूपभस्मना: with (the) ash of incense for the homa-fire-deities
• होमाग्निदेवताधूपभस्मना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम + अग्नि + देवता + धूप + भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter collective sense), तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन (singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• परिष्क्रिया: purification/cleansing rite
• परिष्क्रिया: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिष्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• कार्याः: should be done
• कार्याः: विधेय (Vidheyā/Predicative—‘to be done’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मणि -य (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• क्षीरादिभाण्डानाम्: of vessels containing milk etc.
• क्षीरादिभाण्डानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर + आदि + भाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन (plural); ‘क्षीरादि’ = क्षीर-आदि (etc. beginning with milk)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• रक्षणम्: protection/guarding
• रक्षणम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered
• स्मृतम्: क्रिया (Kriyā—passive predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (singular); ‘is said/remembered’

Speakers

• Didactic narration

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Agni

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Homa/Agni ritual
• Protective fumigation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual purity is operationalized through concrete practices—fumigation, ash, and fire-sanctification—underscoring the dharmic view that daily life and sacred order interpenetrate.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra (conduct/ritual) instruction; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Agni is the transformer; using fire-associated substances symbolizes converting impurity into order, and establishing a ‘protected field’ around nourishment (milk etc.).