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

Sa gayunding paraan, ipinahayag ng mga pantas ang pamamaraan para sa mga ninunong panig ng ina. Sa paglalaan ng damong kuśa bilang upuan (viṣṭara), ang taong may unawa ay dapat sumamba sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng arghya at iba pang handog.

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.