Markandeya Purana — Chapter 28
MkP 28.1
तन्मातुर्वचनं श्रुत्वा सो ऽलर्को मातरं पुनः । पप्रच्छ वर्णधर्मांश्च धर्मा ये चाश्रमेषु च
tanmāturvacanaṃ śrutvā so 'larko mātaraṃ punaḥ / papraccha varṇadharmāṃśca dharmā ye cāśrameṣu ca
Having heard his mother's words, that Alarka asked his mother again about the duties of the classes and the duties that pertain to the stages of life.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.2
कथितो ऽयं महाभागे ! राज्यतन्त्राश्रितस्त्वया । धर्मं तमहमिच्छामि श्रोतुं वर्णाश्रमात्मकम्
kathito 'yaṃ mahābhāge ! rājyatantrāśritastvayā / dharmaṃ tamahamicchāmi śrotuṃ varṇāśramātmakam
"O greatly fortunate one, this duty resting on the machinery of kingship has been declared by you; (now) I wish to hear that duty which consists of the classes and the stages of life."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.3
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञो ब्राह्मणस्य त्रिधा मतः । नान्यश्चतुर्थो धर्मो ऽस्ति धर्मस्तस्यापदं विना
dānamadhyayanaṃ yajño brāhmaṇasya tridhā mataḥ / nānyaścaturtho dharmo 'sti dharmastasyāpadaṃ vinā
Giving, study, and sacrifice are held to be the threefold (duty) of a brahmin; there is no other, fourth duty — that is his duty apart from times of distress.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.4
याजनाध्यापने शुद्धे तथा पूतप्रतिग्रहः । एषा सम्यक् समाख्यता त्रिविधा चास्य जीविका
yājanādhyāpane śuddhe tathā pūtapratigrahaḥ / eṣā samyak samākhyatā trividhā cāsya jīvikā
Officiating at sacrifices and teaching (others) are pure (occupations), and likewise the acceptance of purified gifts: this threefold livelihood of his has been rightly declared.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.5
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञः क्षत्रियस्याप्ययं त्रिधा । धर्मः प्रोक्तः क्षिते रक्षा शस्त्राजीवञ्च जीविका
dānamadhyayanaṃ yajñaḥ kṣatriyasyāpyayaṃ tridhā / dharmaḥ proktaḥ kṣite rakṣā śastrājīvañca jīvikā
Giving, study (of the Veda), and sacrifice — this threefold duty is declared for the kṣatriya too; and his livelihood is the protection of the earth and living by arms.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.6
दानमध्ययनं यज्ञो वैश्यस्यापि त्रिधैव सः । वाणिज्यं पाशुपाल्यञ्च कृषिश्चैवास्य जीविका
dānamadhyayanaṃ yajño vaiśyasyāpi tridhaiva saḥ / vāṇijyaṃ pāśupālyañca kṛṣiścaivāsya jīvikā
Giving, study, and sacrifice — that same threefold (duty) belongs to the vaiśya as well; and his livelihood is trade, cattle-keeping, and agriculture.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.7
दानं यज्ञो ऽथ शुश्रूषा द्विजातीनां त्रिधा मया । व्याख्यातः शूद्रधर्मो ऽपि जीविका कारुकर्म च
dānaṃ yajño 'tha śuśrūṣā dvijātīnāṃ tridhā mayā / vyākhyātaḥ śūdradharmo 'pi jīvikā kārukarma ca
Giving, sacrifice, and service to the twice-born: threefold has the duty of the śūdra too been expounded by me, and his livelihood is the work of an artisan.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.8
तद्वद् द्विजातिशुश्रूषा पोषणं क्रयविक्रयौ । वर्णधर्मास्त्विमे प्रोक्ताः श्रूयन्तां चाश्रमाश्रयाः
tadvad dvijātiśuśrūṣā poṣaṇaṃ krayavikrayau / varṇadharmāstvime proktāḥ śrūyantāṃ cāśramāśrayāḥ
Likewise service to the twice-born, maintenance (of dependents), and buying and selling. These, then, are the duties of the classes as declared; now let those pertaining to the stages of life be heard.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.9
स्ववर्णधर्मात् संसिद्धिं नरः प्राप्नोति न च्युतः । प्रयाति नरकं प्रेत्य प्रतिषिद्धनिषेवणात्
svavarṇadharmāt saṃsiddhiṃ naraḥ prāpnoti na cyutaḥ / prayāti narakaṃ pretya pratiṣiddhaniṣevaṇāt
By the duty of his own class a man attains full accomplishment; but fallen (from it), he goes to hell after death, because of pursuing what is forbidden.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.10
यावत्तु नोपनयनं क्रियते वै द्विजन्मनः । कामचेष्टोक्तिभक्ष्यश्च तावद् भवति पुत्रक
yāvattu nopanayanaṃ kriyate vai dvijanmanaḥ / kāmaceṣṭoktibhakṣyaśca tāvad bhavati putraka
But so long as the initiation of the twice-born one is not performed, for that long, my son, he is free in his conduct, speech, and food, as he pleases.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.11
कृतोपनयनः सम्यग् ब्रह्मचारी गुरुर्गृहे । वसेत्तत्र च धर्मो ऽस्य कथ्यते तं निबोध मे
kṛtopanayanaḥ samyag brahmacārī gururgṛhe / vasettatra ca dharmo 'sya kathyate taṃ nibodha me
Once the initiation has been duly performed, he should dwell in the teacher's house as a student of sacred learning; and his duty there is now told—learn it from me.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.12
स्वाध्यायो ऽथाग्रिशुश्रूषा स्नानं भिक्षाटनं तथा । गुरोर्निवेद्य तच्चान्नमनुज्ञातेन सर्वदा
svādhyāyo 'thāgriśuśrūṣā snānaṃ bhikṣāṭanaṃ tathā / gurornivedya taccānnamanujñātena sarvadā
Recitation of the Veda, then tending the fire, bathing, and likewise going about for alms; and (he should eat) that food only after offering it to the teacher, always with his permission.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.13
गुरोः कर्मणि सोद्योगः सम्यक् प्रीत्युपपादनम् । तेनाहूतः पठेच्चैव तत्परो नान्यमानसः
guroḥ karmaṇi sodyogaḥ samyak prītyupapādanam / tenāhūtaḥ paṭheccaiva tatparo nānyamānasaḥ
He should be diligent in the teacher's work, duly bringing about his pleasure; and when called by him he should study, devoted to that, with his mind on nothing else.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.14
एकं द्वौ सकलान् वापि वेदान् प्राप्य गुरोर्मुखात् । अनुज्ञातो ऽथ वन्दित्वा दक्षिणां गुरवे ततः
ekaṃ dvau sakalān vāpi vedān prāpya gurormukhāt / anujñāto 'tha vanditvā dakṣiṇāṃ gurave tataḥ
Having received one Veda, two, or all of them from the teacher's mouth, then, permitted and having bowed, (giving) the fee to the teacher, thereafter—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.15
गार्हस्थ्याश्रमकामस्तु गृहस्थाश्रममावसेत् । वानप्रस्थाश्रमं वापि चतुर्थं चेच्छयात्मनः
gārhasthyāśramakāmastu gṛhasthāśramamāvaset / vānaprasthāśramaṃ vāpi caturthaṃ cecchayātmanaḥ
—if he desires the householder's stage, he should enter the householder's stage; or else the forest-dweller's stage, or even the fourth, according to his own wish.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.16
तत्रैव वा गुरोर्गेहे द्विजो निष्ठामवाप्नुयात् । गुरोरभावे तत्पुत्रे तच्छिष्ये तत्सुतं विना
tatraiva vā gurorgehe dvijo niṣṭhāmavāpnuyāt / gurorabhāve tatputre tacchiṣye tatsutaṃ vinā
Or in that very place, in the teacher's house, the twice-born may reach his consummation; in the absence of the teacher, (serving) his son, or his pupil, apart from his son.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 28.17
शुश्रूषुर्निरभिमानो ब्रह्मचार्याश्रमं वसेत् । उपावृत्तस्ततस्तस्मात् गृहस्थाश्रमकाम्यया
śuśrūṣurnirabhimāno brahmacāryāśramaṃ vaset / upāvṛttastatastasmāt gṛhasthāśramakāmyayā
Serving and free from pride, he may dwell in the stage of the brahmacārin; and then, returning from that (stage) out of desire for the householder's stage—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.18
ततो ऽसमानर्षिकुलां तुल्यां भार्यामरोगिणीम् । उद्वहेन्न्यायतो ऽव्यङ्गां गृहस्थाश्रमकारणात्
tato 'samānarṣikulāṃ tulyāṃ bhāryāmarogiṇīm / udvahennyāyato 'vyaṅgāṃ gṛhasthāśramakāraṇāt
—he should then lawfully marry a wife not of the same sage's lineage, of equal (rank), free from disease and without bodily defect, for the sake of the householder's stage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.19
स्वकर्मणा धनं लब्ध्वा पितृदेवातिथींस्तथा । सम्यक् सम्प्रीणयन् भक्त्या पोषयेच्चाश्रितांस्तथा
svakarmaṇā dhanaṃ labdhvā pitṛdevātithīṃstathā / samyak samprīṇayan bhaktyā poṣayeccāśritāṃstathā
Having obtained wealth by his own occupation, duly gratifying the ancestors, the gods, and guests with devotion, he should also support his dependents,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.20
भृत्यात्मजान् जामयो ऽथ दीनान्धपतितानपि । यथाशक्त्यान्नदानेन वयांसि पशवस्तथा
bhṛtyātmajān jāmayo 'tha dīnāndhapatitānapi / yathāśaktyānnadānena vayāṃsi paśavastathā
—servants, sons, kinswomen, and also the wretched, the blind, and the fallen—by the gift of food according to his ability, and likewise birds and beasts.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.21
एष धर्मो गृहस्थस्य ऋतावभिगमस्तथा । पञ्चयज्ञविधानन्तु यथाशक्त्या न हापयेत्
eṣa dharmo gṛhasthasya ṛtāvabhigamastathā / pañcayajñavidhānantu yathāśaktyā na hāpayet
This is the householder's duty, and likewise approaching (his wife) at her fertile season; and he should not omit the ordinance of the five sacrifices, according to his ability.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.22
पितृदेवातिथिज्ञातिभुक्तशेषं स्वयं नरः । भुञ्जीत च समं भृत्यैर्यथाविभवमादृतः
pitṛdevātithijñātibhuktaśeṣaṃ svayaṃ naraḥ / bhuñjīta ca samaṃ bhṛtyairyathāvibhavamādṛtaḥ
And a man should himself eat what is left over after the ancestors, the gods, guests, and kinsmen have eaten, together with his servants, respectfully, according to his means.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.23
एष तूद्देशतः प्रोक्तो गृहस्थस्याश्रमो मया । वानप्रस्थस्य धर्मं ते कथयाम्यवधार्यताम्
eṣa tūddeśataḥ prokto gṛhasthasyāśramo mayā / vānaprasthasya dharmaṃ te kathayāmyavadhāryatām
Thus the householder's stage has been declared by me in outline; (now) I shall tell you the duty of the forest-dweller—let it be attended to.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.24
अपत्यसन्ततिं दृष्ट्वा प्राज्ञो चानतिम् । वानप्रस्थाश्रमं गच्छेदात्मनः शुद्धिकारणात्
apatyasantatiṃ dṛṣṭvā prājño cānatim / vānaprasthāśramaṃ gacchedātmanaḥ śuddhikāraṇāt
Having seen the continuance of his offspring, the wise man ... should go to the forest-dweller's stage for the sake of his own purification.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 28.25
तत्रारण्योपभोगश्च तपोभिश्चानुकर्षणम् । भूमौ शय्या ब्रह्मचर्यं पितृदेवातिथिक्रिया
tatrāraṇyopabhogaśca tapobhiścānukarṣaṇam / bhūmau śayyā brahmacaryaṃ pitṛdevātithikriyā
There (his duties are): living on the produce of the forest, wearing himself down with austerities, sleeping on the ground, chastity, and the rites for ancestors, gods, and guests;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.26
होमस्त्रिषवणस्त्रानं जटावल्कलधारणम् । योगाभ्यासः सदा चैव वन्यस्नेहनिषेवणम्
homastriṣavaṇastrānaṃ jaṭāvalkaladhāraṇam / yogābhyāsaḥ sadā caiva vanyasnehaniṣevaṇam
the fire-oblation, bathing at the three junctures of the day, wearing matted hair and bark garments, the practice of yoga, and always the use of forest oils (for anointing).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.27
इत्येष पापशुद्ध्यर्थमात्मनश्चोपकारकः । वानप्रस्थाश्रमस्तस्माद् भिक्षोस्तु चरमो ऽपरः
ityeṣa pāpaśuddhyarthamātmanaścopakārakaḥ / vānaprasthāśramastasmād bhikṣostu caramo 'paraḥ
Thus this householder-free stage—the forest-dweller's stage—serves for the cleansing of sin and is of benefit to oneself; after it, the other, the mendicant's, is the last.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.28
चतुर्थस्य स्वरूपं तु श्रुयतामाश्रमस्य मे । यः स्वधर्मो ऽस्य धर्मज्ञैः प्रोक्तस्तात ! महात्मभिः
caturthasya svarūpaṃ tu śruyatāmāśramasya me / yaḥ svadharmo 'sya dharmajñaiḥ proktastāta ! mahātmabhiḥ
But hear from me the nature of the fourth stage of life—what its own duty is, as declared, dear child, by the great souls who know dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.29
सर्वसङ्गपरित्यागो ब्रह्मचर्यमकोपिता । यतेन्द्रियत्वमावासे नैकस्मिन् वसतिश्चिरम्
sarvasaṅgaparityāgo brahmacaryamakopitā / yatendriyatvamāvāse naikasmin vasatiściram
Complete abandonment of all attachments, chastity, freedom from anger, restraint of the senses, and not dwelling long in one dwelling place;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.30
अनारम्भस्तथाहारो भैक्षान्नेनैककालिना । आत्मज्ञानावबोधेच्छा तथा चात्मावलोकनम्
anārambhastathāhāro bhaikṣānnenaikakālinā / ātmajñānāvabodhecchā tathā cātmāvalokanam
undertaking no enterprises, and food consisting of alms taken at one time of day, the wish to awaken to knowledge of the self, and likewise contemplation of the self.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.31
चतुर्थे त्वाश्रमे धर्मो मयायं ते निवेदितः । सामान्यमन्यवर्णानामाश्रमाणाञ्च मे शृणु
caturthe tvāśrame dharmo mayāyaṃ te niveditaḥ / sāmānyamanyavarṇānāmāśramāṇāñca me śṛṇu
Thus the duty in the fourth stage of life has been declared by me to you; now hear from me what is common to the other classes and stages of life.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.32
सत्यं शौचमहिंसा च अनसूया तथा क्षमा । आनृशंस्यमकार्पण्यं सन्तोषश्चाष्टमो गुणः
satyaṃ śaucamahiṃsā ca anasūyā tathā kṣamā / ānṛśaṃsyamakārpaṇyaṃ santoṣaścāṣṭamo guṇaḥ
Truthfulness, purity, non-injury, freedom from envy, and likewise patience, kindness, absence of meanness, and contentment as the eighth quality.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.33
एते संक्षेपतः प्रोक्ता धर्मा वर्णाश्रमेषु ते । एतेषु च स्वधर्मेषु स्वेषु तिष्ठेत् समन्ततः
ete saṃkṣepataḥ proktā dharmā varṇāśrameṣu te / eteṣu ca svadharmeṣu sveṣu tiṣṭhet samantataḥ
These duties in the classes and stages of life have been declared to you in brief; and in these, one's own duties, one should stand firm in every way.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.34
यश्चोल्लङ्घ्य स्वकं धर्मं स्ववर्णाश्रमसंज्ञितम् । नरो ऽन्यथा प्रवर्तेत स दण्ड्यो भूभृतो भवेत्
yaścollaṅghya svakaṃ dharmaṃ svavarṇāśramasaṃjñitam / naro 'nyathā pravarteta sa daṇḍyo bhūbhṛto bhavet
And the man who, overstepping his own duty, that designated by his own class and stage of life, behaves otherwise—he should be liable to punishment by the king.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.35
ये च स्वधर्मसन्त्यागात् पापं कुर्वन्ति मानवाः । उपेक्षतस्तान् नृपतेरिष्टापूर्तं प्रणश्यति
ye ca svadharmasantyāgāt pāpaṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ / upekṣatastān nṛpateriṣṭāpūrtaṃ praṇaśyati
And when men commit sin through abandoning their own duty, the sacrifices and works of merit of a king who overlooks them perish.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 28.36
तस्माद्राज्ञा प्रयत्नेन सर्वे वर्णाः स्वधर्मतः । प्रवर्तन्तो ऽन्यथा दण्ड्याः स्थाप्याश्चैव स्वकर्मसु
tasmādrājñā prayatnena sarve varṇāḥ svadharmataḥ / pravartanto 'nyathā daṇḍyāḥ sthāpyāścaiva svakarmasu
Therefore all the classes are to be kept in motion by the king with effort according to their own duty; otherwise they are to be punished and established in their own tasks.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition