Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 32, Shloka 27

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

Sanskrit

श्रद्धया परया दत्तं पितॄणां नामगोत्रतः ।

यदाहारास्तु ते जातास्तदाहारत्वमेति तत् ॥

Transliteration

śraddhayā parayā dattaṃ pitṝṇāṃ nāma-gotrataḥ / yad āhārās tu te jātās tad āhāratvam eti tat

Translation

以至上信心所施与之物，若以诸 Pitṛ 的名号与族系（gotra）而奉告，则确然成为他们的食粮——无论何种资养形态适合于他们，该供献便成就为那一状态。

Word by Word

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (करण/instrumental—manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• परया: supreme; intense
• परया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'श्रद्धया' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दत्तम्: given; offered
• दत्तम्: Karma (कर्म—thing given/offered)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of/for the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient—genitive usage)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• नामगोत्रतः: according to (their) name and lineage
• नामगोत्रतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualification)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma + gotra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = 'by/according to name and lineage'

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म—relative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• आहाराः: foods; sustenances
• आहाराः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (contrastive particle)

• ते: they (the ancestors)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'पितरः' इत्यर्थे

• जाताः: become; arisen
• जाताः: Kriya (क्रिया—predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'ते' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्: that (offering)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता/subject of 'एति')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्-निर्देश

• आहारत्वम्: the state of being food
• आहारत्वम्: Karma (कर्म—attained state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhāra + tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/उपपद-भावसमासः (आहार + त्व = state of being food); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एति: goes to; becomes; attains
• एति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that (very thing)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म—correlative to 'यत्')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनर्निर्देश (anaphoric)

Speakers

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

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ Pūjā
• Śrāddha efficacy
• Śraddhā (faith)
• Sankalpa (intent)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Intention and reverent precision matter: faith (śraddhā) plus correct relational addressing (nāma-gotra) is said to transform the material offering into a fitting benefit for subtle recipients.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ritual-dharma teaching; not one of the five characteristics, but a practical theology of how offerings ‘reach’ their intended recipients.

What is the esoteric significance?

Naming and gotra function like an ‘address’ in subtle space; śraddhā is the energizing force that converts gross offering into subtle nourishment compatible with the pitṛs’ plane.