Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 54

Adhyaya 34 — Madālāsā’s Instruction on Sadācāra (Householder Conduct, Purity, and Daily Rites)

Sanskrit

न चापि रक्तवासाः स्याच्चित्रासितधरोऽपि वा ।

न च कुर्याद्विपर्यासं वाससोर्नापि भूषणे ॥

Transliteration

na cāpi raktavāsāḥ syāc citrāsitadharo 'pi vā | na ca kuryād viparyāsaṃ vāsasor nāpi bhūṣaṇe ||

Translation

不应穿红色衣服，也不应穿杂色或黑色衣服；亦不应以颠倒、不合仪则之法穿衣，更不可不当佩饰。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negative particle/निषेधाव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction/समुच्चयाव्यय)

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

• raktavāsāḥ: wearing red clothes
• raktavāsāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थः ‘रक्तं वासो यस्य/रक्तवस्त्रधारी’

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• citra-asita-dharaḥ: wearing patterned or black (clothes)
• citra-asita-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + asita (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘चित्रं वा असितं वा धरति’ = wearing variegated/black (garments)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि (particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kuryāt: should do/make
• kuryāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• viparyāsam: reversal/mixing up
• viparyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viparyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन

• vāsasoḥ: of the two garments
• vāsasoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negative particle)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि (particle)

• bhūṣaṇe: in/with ornamentation (ornaments)
• bhūṣaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not identifiable from the provided verses alone.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Propriety
• Modesty and regulated appearance

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Regulated dress is treated as an extension of self-regulation: moderation and propriety in appearance support steadiness of mind and social harmony.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra instruction; not one of the five purāṇic defining topics.

What is the esoteric significance?

Colors and ‘reversal’ can function as markers of ritual states; the verse implies that mismatched or provocative display disrupts sattvic order and invites distraction.