Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 35, Shloka 43

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

Sanskrit

भस्मास्थिचयनं कार्यं चतुर्थे गोत्रिकैर्दिने ।

ऊर्ध्वं सञ्चयनात् तेषामङ्गस्पर्शो विधीयते ॥

Transliteration

bhasmāsthi-cayanaṃ kāryaṃ caturthe gotrikair dine | ūrdhvaṃ saṃcayanāt teṣām aṅga-sparśo vidhīyate ||

Translation

Việc thu nhặt tro và xương phải do các thân quyến cùng gotra thực hiện vào ngày thứ tư. Sau khi đã thu nhặt xong, việc tiếp xúc thân thể với họ được cho phép.

Word by Word

• bhasma-asthi-cayanam: collection of ashes and bones
• bhasma-asthi-cayanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक) + asthi (प्रातिपदिक) + cayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘collection of ashes and bones’ (समाहार/विषय-निर्देश)

• kāryam: should be done
• kāryam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धाातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/यत्; ‘kārya’), Neuter, Nominative Singular agreeing with भस्मास्थिचयनम्; obligation

• caturthe: on the fourth
• caturthe: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; elliptical with दिने/अह्नि

• gotrikaiḥ: by the clan-members
• gotrikaiḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotrika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• dine: on the day
• dine: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ūrdhvam: afterwards
• ūrdhvam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (द्वितीया-अव्ययप्रयोग) meaning ‘afterwards/above’

• saṃcayanāt: from/after the collecting
• saṃcayanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃcayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• aṅga-sparśaḥ: bodily touch/contact
• aṅga-sparśaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘touching the body/limbs’

• vidhīyate: is prescribed
• vidhīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vidhā (धाातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Ātmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular; passive sense ‘is prescribed/ordained’

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic discourse (speaker not specified in the excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Antyeṣṭi procedure
• Aśauca boundaries
• Asthi-saṃcayana
• Kinship duty

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual rules manage contagion-like notions of impurity while still enabling necessary social interaction; once a key rite is completed, normal contact is restored.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra instruction; ancillary to purāṇic teaching, not a pancalakṣaṇa segment.

What is the esoteric significance?

Asthi-saṃcayana ‘seals’ the cremation process; permission for touch indicates a threshold crossed—from unstable liminality toward reintegration and closure.