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

Ang paglilinis ay dapat gawin sa kabanalan ng diyos ng apoy ng homa, kasama ang insenso at abo—lalo na para sa mga sisidlang may gatas at katulad nito. Sa ganito itinuturo ang kanilang pag-iingat.

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.).