Shloka 27

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

Sanskrit

उपवासस् त्रिरात्रन्तु दुष्टभक्ताशिनो भवेत् ।

अज्ञाते ज्ञानपूर्वन्तु तद्दोषोपशमेन तु ॥

Transliteration

upavāsas trirātraṃ tu duṣṭa-bhaktāśino bhavet | ajñāte jñāna-pūrvaṃ tu tad-doṣopaśamena tu ||

Translation

آلودہ کھانا کھانے والے کے لیے تین راتوں کا روزہ مقرر ہے۔ اگر نادانی میں ہوا ہو تو اسی کے مطابق پاکی ہو جاتی ہے؛ لیکن اگر جان بوجھ کر ہوا ہو تو اس عیب کے ازالے/تسکین کے لیے مناسب کفّارہ (پرایشچت) کرنا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, indeclinable stem; used in compound with रात्र

• रात्रम्: for a night (duration)
• रात्रम्: कालाधिकरण (द्वितीया-अत्यन्तसंयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि/रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (as रात्रम्), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; duration-accusative

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), contrast/emphasis

• दुष्ट: spoiled/impure
• दुष्ट: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/विशेषण)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (in compound sense with भक्त)

• भक्त: food
• भक्त: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (in compound sense)

• अशिनः: of one who eats
• अशिनः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of the eater’

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, Singular

• अज्ञाते: when (it is) unknown
• अज्ञाते: अधिकरण (सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-ज्ञात (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used adjectivally, Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘when unknown’

• ज्ञान: with knowledge
• ज्ञान: करण (तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (in compound sense with पूर्व)

• पूर्वम्: beforehand
• पूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular used adverbially; ‘beforehand’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (in compound sense with दोष)

• दोष: fault/impurity
• दोष: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (in compound sense)

• उपशमेन: by pacification/removal
• उपशमेन: करण (तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

Speakers

• Dharma-instructional narration within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Prāyaścitta (expiation)
• Food ethics
• Intention (knowingly vs unknowingly)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Moral weight depends on intention and awareness: the same act has different consequences and remedies when done unknowingly versus knowingly, reflecting a nuanced ethics of culpability.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

The three-night fast can be read as resetting the ‘inner fire’ (agni) and re-establishing mastery over desire; knowingly eating impurity symbolizes deliberate indulgence requiring deeper correction.