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Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 50, Shloka 47

Adhyaya 50Mind-Born Progeny, Svayambhuva Manu’s Lineage, and Brahmā’s Ordinance to Duḥsaha (Alakṣmī’s Retinue)

उदक्योपहतं भुक्तमुदक्या दृष्टमेव च ।

यच्चोपघातवत् किञ्चिद् भक्ष्यं पेयमथापि वा ॥

udakyopahataṃ bhuktam udakyā dṛṣṭam eva ca | yaccopaghātavat kiñcid bhakṣyaṃ peyam athāpi vā ||

“被乌达吉雅(udakyā:因月事而处于仪式性不净之女子)所玷污的食物,以及仅被乌达吉雅看见过的食物;并且一切可食可饮之物,凡与‘损害/缺陷’相连者——那也都归你。”

उदक्या-उपहतम्defiled by a menstruating woman
उदक्या-उपहतम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउदक्या (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हन् with upa-, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उदक्यया उपहतम् = रजस्वला-स्त्री-स्पर्शादि से दूषित)
भुक्तम्eaten
भुक्तम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootभुज् (धातु) → भुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त
उदक्याby a menstruating woman
उदक्या:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootउदक्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन
दृष्टम्seen (by)
दृष्टम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त
एवindeed/just
एव:
Avadharana (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
यत्whatever/that which
यत्:
Anuyogi (अनुयोगी/relative)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक/यद्-शब्द
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय
उपघातवत्having contamination/affliction
उपघातवत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउपघातवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् तद्धित)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; -वत् (possessive taddhita: ‘having/with’)
किञ्चित्anything/something
किञ्चित्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (indefinite)
भक्ष्यम्food (edible)
भक्ष्यम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; √भक्ष् + यत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
पेयम्drink (potable)
पेयम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपेय (प्रातिपदिक; √पा + यत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
अथor else/then
अथ:
Prakaraṇa (प्रकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle: sequence/alternative)
अपिalso/even
अपि:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)
Brahmā to Duḥsaha

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

Brahmā
Ritual purity codesHousehold regulationsTamas feeding on impurity/defect

FAQs

The passage reflects traditional purity-regulations: it portrays ‘defect/taint’ as nourishment for Duḥsaha, reinforcing the ideal of careful household boundaries around food and ritual states. In ethical terms, it warns that disregard for codes of restraint and cleanliness strengthens degrading tendencies.

Primarily ācāra-dharma material presented through allegory; not genealogical or manvantara chronology.

On an inner reading, ‘tainted by contact/attention’ suggests that what the mind habitually attends to (dṛṣṭa) can also ‘taint’ it. Guarding perception is part of guarding purity.