Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 34, Shloka 70

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

Sanskrit

क्षुतेऽवलीढे वान्ते च तथा निष्ठीवनादिषु ।

कुर्यादाचमनं स्पर्शं गोपृष्ठस्यार्कदर्शनम् ॥

Transliteration

kṣute 'valīḍhe vānte ca tathā niṣṭhīvanādiṣu | kuryād ācamanaṃ sparśaṃ gopṛṣṭhasyārkadarśanam ||

Translation

于喷嚏、舔触不净之物、呕吐，以及吐唾等类似行为之后，应行阿遮摩那（ācamana），触摸母牛之背，并瞻仰太阳。

Word by Word

• kṣute: when sneezing
• kṣute: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣuta (कृदन्त, √kṣu)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'in/at sneezing' (event)

• avalīḍhe: when (something is) licked/licking (the lips)
• avalīḍhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ava-√līḍh (धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); PPP used as event-noun

• vānte: when vomiting
• vānte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānta (कृदन्त, √vam)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'in vomiting'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• niṣṭhīvana-ādiṣu: in spitting and the like
• niṣṭhīvana-ādiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣṭhīvana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) tatpuruṣa (ādi-tatpuruṣa); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ācamanaṃ: sipping (ācamana)
• ācamanaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sparśam: touching
• sparśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• go-pṛṣṭhasya: of a cow's back
• go-pṛṣṭhasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Neuter head; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• arka-darśanam: seeing the sun
• arka-darśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास) tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भाव्य; here 'sun-seeing'); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• General ācāra instruction (speaker not specified in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (Arka)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca
• Prāyaścitta-like immediate remedies
• Cow sanctity
• Solar purity

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse treats purity as recoverable through immediate, prescribed acts. It also highlights culturally central purifiers: the cow (as a symbol of sattva and auspiciousness) and the sun (witness and cleanser).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Not pancalakṣaṇa content; it is ācāra (conduct) material serving social-religious regulation.

What is the esoteric significance?

Touching the cow’s back and seeing the sun function as ‘re-alignment’ with sattvic and luminous principles—earthly purity (go) and celestial clarity (arka).