Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 28, Shloka 30

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

Sanskrit

अनारम्भस्तथाहारो भैक्षान्नेनैककालिना । आत्मज्ञानावबोधेच्छा तथा चात्मावलोकनम् ॥

Transliteration

anārambhas tathāhāro bhaikṣānnenaikakālinā | ātmajñānāvabodhecchā tathā cātmāvalokanam ||

Translation

不发起新的事业；每日仅食一次，以施舍之食为资；希求唤醒对自我（阿特曼，Ātman）的觉知；并观照自我——这些也都属于彼之法（dharma）。

Word by Word

• anārambhaḥ: non-initiation; non-undertaking
• anārambhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-ārambha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• tathā: and; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (Indeclinable/अव्यय), sambandha-avyaya (connective adverb: 'and/also')

• āhāraḥ: food; intake
• āhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• bhaikṣa-annena: by alms-food
• bhaikṣa-annena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument-means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaikṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: bhaikṣam annam (alms-food)

• eka-kālinā: once (in one time); once-a-day
• eka-kālinā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjectival to bhaikṣānnena)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: ekaḥ kālaḥ yasya (once-a-day)

• ātma-jñāna-avabodha-icchā: desire for realization/understanding of self-knowledge
• ātma-jñāna-avabodha-icchā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + avabodha (प्रातिपदिक) + icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā, Ekavacana; multi-member Tatpuruṣa (determinative): ātmajñānasya avabodhasya icchā

• tathā: and; likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, connective adverb

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, samuccaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• ātma-avalokanam: self-contemplation; looking within
• ātma-avalokanam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + avalokana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Tatpuruṣa: ātmanaḥ avalokanam (self-observation)

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sannyāsa
• Alms
• Aparigraha (non-acquisition)
• Ātma-jñāna
• Meditation

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Renunciation is operationalized: minimal livelihood (alms, once daily) and minimal worldly initiative (anārambha) create the conditions for sustained self-inquiry and realization.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma instruction; ancillary to the five canonical Purāṇic topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Anārambha’ points to cessation of karmic proliferation; ‘ātma-avalokana’ is the inward turn where the ‘wanderer’ moves through layers of mind rather than geography.