Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 35, Shloka 29

Adhyaya 35 — Madālasa’s Instruction on Purity, Impurity, and Corrective Rites (Śauca and Aśauca)

Sanskrit

नारं स्पृष्ट्वास्थि सस्त्रेहं स्नातः शुध्यति मानवः ।

आचाम्यैव तु निःस्त्रेहं गामालभ्यार्कमीक्ष्य वा ॥

Transliteration

nāraṃ spṛṣṭvāsthi sastrehaṃ snātaḥ śudhyati mānavaḥ | ācāmyaiva tu niḥstrehaṃ gām ālabhyārkam īkṣya vā ||

Translation

若男子触及涂有脂膏之人骨，则以沐浴而得清净。若其骨不涂脂，则唯行阿遮摩那（ācamana）即得清净；或亦可因触牛与/或瞻视日轮而得清净。

Word by Word

• नारम्: a man/person
• नारम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund/क्त्वा), prior action

• अस्थि: bone
• अस्थि: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• स: that/with that
• स: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative used adjectivally

• स्त्रेहम्: fat/grease
• स्त्रेहम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• शुध्यति: becomes pure
• शुध्यति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, 3rd person, Singular

• मानवः: a human
• मानवः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• आचम्य: having sipped water (ācamana)
• आचम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु) → आचम्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund/क्त्वा), prior action

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• निः: without
• निः: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निः (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (prefix-like particle) meaning ‘without’

• स्त्रेहम्: grease/fat
• स्त्रेहम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्रेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; with निः = ‘without grease’

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• आलभ्य: having touched/handled
• आलभ्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लभ् (धातु) → आलभ्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund/क्त्वा), prior action; ‘having touched/handled’

• अर्कम्: the sun
• अर्कम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ईक्ष्य: having looked at
• ईक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु) → ईक्ष्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभाव (gerund/क्त्वा), prior action

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speakers

• Dharma-instructional narration within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Sūrya

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Degrees of impurity
• Snāna
• Ācamana

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Impurity is graded: the presence of ‘grease’ (organic residue) intensifies defilement and requires stronger cleansing (bath), while lesser contact is resolved by simpler rites (ācamana), reflecting proportionality.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction.

What is the esoteric significance?

Looking at the sun (arka) signifies turning the mind toward illuminative truth; touching the cow symbolizes contact with a culturally sacralized emblem of sattva and sustenance, used here as a ritual purifier.