Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 58

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

Sanskrit

पिष्टशाकेक्षुपयसां विकारान्नृपनन्दन ।

तथा मांसविकारांश्च ते च वर्ज्याश्चिरोषिताः ॥

Transliteration

piṣṭaśākekṣupayasāṃ vikārān nṛpanandana | tathā māṃsavikārāṃś ca te ca varjyāś ciroṣitāḥ ||

Translation

王子啊，应当避开以面粉调成的糊膏之食、叶菜、甘蔗与乳制品；同样也应避开肉食之制品——尤其是久置陈旧之食。

Word by Word

• piṣṭa-śāka-ikṣu-payasām: of flour-products, vegetables, sugarcane (products), and milk
• piṣṭa-śāka-ikṣu-payasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṣṭa (कृदन्त) + śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + ikṣu (प्रातिपदिक) + payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (plural); समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (collective/copulative) as a genitive plural group

• vikārān: preparations/derivatives
• vikārān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (plural)

• nṛpa-nandana: O prince (delight of the king)
• nṛpa-nandana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: समुच्चय/उपमानार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/also)

• māṃsa-vikārān: meat-preparations
• māṃsa-vikārān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vikāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (meat’s preparations)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• te: those (items)
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.)/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut.) प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• varjyāḥ: to be avoided
• varjyāḥ: Vidhi (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varjya (कृदन्त; √vṛj/varj (धातु) ‘to avoid’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural); विधिलिङ्गार्थ-कर्तव्यता: ‘to be avoided’ (gerundive/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थ)

• cira-uṣitāḥ: kept for a long time (stale/old)
• cira-uṣitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of te/varjyāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cira (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + uṣita (कृदन्त; √vas (धातु) ‘to dwell/remain’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural); कर्मधारय: ‘long-stayed’ i.e., 오래된/kept long

Speakers

• Unspecified in input (instructional voice addressing a prince: nṛpanandana)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ācāra (right conduct)
• Śauca (purity)
• Āhāra-niyama (diet discipline)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Diet is treated as a direct support of sattva and bodily purity; stale and heavily processed foods are discouraged because they are viewed as diminishing clarity, health, and ritual fitness.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This passage is primarily Ācāra/Dharma instruction and does not directly map to the pañcalakṣaṇa topics (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). It is ancillary dharma material within the Purāṇic narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

Food symbolizes the intake of guṇas; avoiding ‘old’ or overly transformed substances signifies guarding the inner fire (agni) and maintaining a mind fit for mantra, worship, and self-restraint.