Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 31, Shloka 60

Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure

Sanskrit

ततो नित्यक्रियां कुर्याद् भोजयेच्च तथातिथीन् ।

नित्यक्रियां पितॄणाञ्च केचिदिच्छन्ति सत्तमाः ॥

Transliteration

tato nityakriyāṃ kuryād bhojayecca tathātithīn | nityakriyāṃ pitṝṇāñca kecid icchanti sattamāḥ ||

Translation

Pagkaraan nito, dapat niyang isagawa ang kanyang pang-araw-araw na mga ritwal at magpakain din ng mga panauhin. May ilang dakilang awtoridad na nagnanais din ng pang-araw-araw na ritwal para sa Pitṛ (handog sa mga ninuno).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), तस्मात्-अर्थे (thereafter/from that)

• nitya-kriyām: daily rite
• nitya-kriyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नित्यस्याः क्रिया)

• kuryāt: he should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; √kṛ ‘to do’

• bhojayet: he should feed
• bhojayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative (णिच्) of √bhuj ‘to eat’ → ‘to feed’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• tathā: also; likewise
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• atithīn: guests
• atithīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• nitya-kriyām: daily rite
• nitya-kriyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite: ‘some’)

• icchanti: desire
• icchanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; √iṣ/√icch ‘to desire’

• sat-tamāḥ: the best (men)
• sat-tamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष/उपपद (श्रेष्ठाः सताम्) ‘best among the good’

Speakers

• Madālasa → Alarka

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Nitya-karma
• Atithi-dharma
• Pitṛ offerings
• Ritual variance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A householder’s dharma is layered: special rites (śrāddha) do not replace daily obligations (nitya-kriyā) and hospitality. The text also acknowledges legitimate diversity of practice regarding daily pitṛ offerings.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/Dharma (conduct), not sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita as primary content.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Daily rite’ after śrāddha indicates continuity: one integrates ancestral remembrance into regular life rather than restricting it to occasional ceremonies.