Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 28, Shloka 22

Adhyaya 28 — Alarka Inquires into Varna and Ashrama Dharma; Madalasa Defines the Fourfold Duties

Sanskrit

पितृदेवातिथिज्ञातिभुक्तशेषं स्वयं नरः ।

भुञ्जीत च समं भृत्यैर्यथाविभवमादृतः ॥

Transliteration

pitṛdevātithijñātibhuktaśeṣaṃ svayaṃ naraḥ /

bhuñjīta ca samaṃ bhṛtyair yathāvibhavam ādṛtaḥ //

Translation

在祖先、诸神、宾客与亲族用食之后，男子应食其余；并当量其资财，与仆从平等分食。

Word by Word

• पितृ-देव-अतिथि-ज्ञाति-भुक्त-शेषम्: the remainder after (first) feeding ancestors, gods, guests, and kinsmen
• पितृ-देव-अतिथि-ज्ञाति-भुक्त-शेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञाति (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्त (कृदन्त) + शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: 'पितृदेवातिथिज्ञातिभिः भुक्तस्य शेषम्'

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक-अव्यय (oneself)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• समम्: equally
• समम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषण); 'equally'

• भृत्यैः: with the servants
• भृत्यैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/करण), बहुवचन

• यथा-विभवम्: according to his resources
• यथा-विभवम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अव्ययवत्) — adverbial: 'according to means'

• आदृतः: being respectful/with due regard
• आदृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√दृ (धातु) → आदृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (नरः)

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction narrative voice (contextual teacher-speaker within Markandeya Purana’s didactic discourse)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Devas
• Pitṛs

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Hospitality
• Atithi-dharma
• Equity toward dependents
• Food ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The householder’s consumption is ethically last: one eats after fulfilling obligations to sacred and social recipients. Fair sharing with servants is explicitly dharmic, not optional generosity.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra-dharma guidance; not a pancalakṣaṇa cosmological-historical unit.

What is the esoteric significance?

Eating last symbolizes ego-restraint. ‘Remnant’ (śeṣa) becomes sanctified when preceded by offerings—turning ordinary sustenance into prasāda-like intake.