Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 32, Shloka 23

Adhyaya 32 — Rules for Parvana Śrāddha: Foods that Please the Ancestors and Items to Avoid

Sanskrit

एवं रक्षा भवेच्छ्राद्धे कृता तातोभयोरपि ।

शावसूतकसंस्पृष्टं दीर्घरोगिभिरेव च ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ rakṣā bhavec chrāddhe kṛtā tātobhayor api / śāva-sūtaka-saṃspṛṣṭaṃ dīrgha-rogibhir eva ca

Translation

因此，在施行 śrāddha（祭祖供养）时，仪式的护持与防护（rakṣā）被认为已为两方——行祭者与祖灵——确立。然而，应当避开被处于尸秽（śāva）或产秽（sūtaka）之人触碰过的食物与仪轨，也同样应避开被久病之人触碰过的供品。

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• रक्षा: protection; safeguarding
• रक्षा: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• भवेत्: should be; would occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• कृता: done; performed
• कृता: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'रक्षा' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तातोभयोः: of both (father and mother/parents)
• तातोभयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta + ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'तातयोः उभयोः' (of both fathers/parents)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• शावसूतकसंस्पृष्टम्: touched by (the impurity of) a corpse/period of impurity
• शावसूतकसंस्पृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/object—thing to be avoided)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāva + sūtaka + saṃspṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; 'शाव-सूतक-सम्स्पृष्ट' = (corpse-impurity)-touched; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP of सम्+स्पृश्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सन्दर्भे—वर्जनीय-वस्तु/कर्म)

• दीर्घरोगिभिः: by long-term sick persons
• दीर्घरोगिभिः: Karana (करण/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrgha + rogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः 'दीर्घ-रोगिन्' (long-ill); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speakers

• Dharmic instruction within Markandeya Purana’s ritual discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śrāddha
• Pitṛ Pūjā
• Ritual purity (śauca/āśauca)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Pitṛ-yajña (ancestral duty) is not merely emotional remembrance; it is a disciplined dharmic act. The verse stresses śauca (ritual integrity) so that the offering is fit to become a vehicle of benefit to the pitṛs and does not get obstructed by avoidable impurities.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

It aligns with secondary purāṇic material on ācāra/dharma (ritual law), rather than the core five (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). In database terms: ‘Dharma-śāstra style injunction embedded in Purāṇa’.

What is the esoteric significance?

Śāva and sūtaka mark liminal transitions (death/birth). Esoterically, the rite seeks a clear channel between worlds; contact with liminality and chronic affliction symbolizes ‘mixed currents’ that can blur the intended sankalpa (focused intention) of the offering.