Semantic Analysis

Semantic Analysis: The Gospel of Mark (Koine Greek → Sanskrit)

Methodology Note

This document analyzes the entire Gospel of Mark, chapter 1 through chapter 16, in the original Koine Greek. The core passage, Mark 10:35-45 (the request of James and John, and Jesus’ teaching on the ransom for many), receives verse-by-verse treatment. Every other chapter receives a chapter-level treatment of its load-bearing theological terms using the same analytical fields: original word, transliteration, literal meaning, semantic range, English variants, contextual theological meaning, and destination-language (Sanskrit) rendering with risk assessment.

Governing constraint: Any term already fixed in the baseline Romans translation_memory.json is reused exactly as recorded there (e.g., πίστις → विश्वासः, εὐαγγέλιον → सुसमाचारः, κύριος → प्रभुः, βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ → परमेश्वरस्य राज्यम्, δόξα → महिमा, διαθήκη → संविद्, ἀπόστολος → प्रेषितः, Χριστός/proper-name form → ख्रीष्टः, “Messiah”-concept → मसीहः, δύναμις in the sense of “power” → सामर्थ्यम्). New terms required by Mark’s distinctive vocabulary (baptism, Son of Man, ransom, servant/slave, cross, parable, Gehenna, etc.) are assigned Sanskrit renderings following the same methodology the baseline package establishes: preferring the least philosophically-encumbered classical term available, and flagging — rather than silently absorbing — any collision with a named, citable classical philosophical or ritual category.

Risk tiers (Critical / High / Medium / Low) follow the definitions in the baseline doctrine_risk_registry.json.

PART A — CORE PASSAGE: Mark 10:35-45 (Verse-by-Verse)

Mark 10:35

καὶ προσπορεύονται αὐτῷ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης οἱ υἱοὶ Ζεβεδαίου λέγοντες αὐτῷ· Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἵνα ὃ ἐὰν αἰτήσωμέν σε ποιήσῃς ἡμῖν. “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
want/wish	θέλομεν (θέλω)	thelomen (thelō)	“to will, wish, desire”	ranges from simple preference to deliberate resolve; used 5x in this pericope (vv.36,38,43,44)	want, wish, desire, will	Sets up the passage’s central contrast: human θέλω (self-interested willing) versus God’s prepared plan (v.40) and the Son of Man’s self-giving will (v.45)	इच्छामः (icchāmaḥ). Risk: Low. Standard verb of volition; no major philosophical collision, but translators should preserve the repeated root across vv.36-44 to keep the rhetorical contrast visible, as the Romans package does for repeated key roots elsewhere.
Teacher	Διδάσκαλε (διδάσκαλος)	Didaskale (didaskalos)	“teacher, instructor”	a respectful address to a religious/moral instructor	teacher, master, rabbi	Address of respect, but ironically undercut by the request that follows, which shows James and John have not yet understood Jesus’ teaching about the cross (10:32-34 immediately precedes)	गुरुः is available but is explicitly rejected here (as in the baseline “apostle” entry) because गुरुः invokes the entire guru-śiṣya-paramparā transmission-of-authority system. Use उपदेशकः (upadeśakaḥ, “one who instructs/counsels”). Risk: Medium. Must not be softened into an honorific implying Jesus is one teacher within a lineage of equally authoritative teachers.

Mark 10:36

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τί θέλετέ [με] ποιήσω ὑμῖν; “And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
want (repeated)	θέλετε	thelete	see above	see above	want, wish	Jesus turns their θέλω back on them — a diagnostic question exposing the nature of their request before he answers it	See v.35. No new risk.

Mark 10:37

οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· Δὸς ἡμῖν ἵνα εἷς σου ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ εἷς ἐξ ἀριστερῶν καθίσωμεν ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου. “And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
glory	δόξῃ (δόξα)	doxē (doxa)	“brightness, honor, splendor, opinion”	ranges from mere “reputation” to the radiant manifestation of divine majesty	glory, splendor, majesty	James and John envision Christ’s future eschatological glory (his enthronement at the Parousia) and want co-regency honor within it	Reuse baseline exactly: महिमा (mahimā). Risk: High (per baseline “glory” entry — तेजस् remains rejected due to its Sāṅkhya/Devī-Māhātmyam substance-metaphysics associations). No new risk introduced here beyond the baseline note.
sit (at right/left hand)	καθίσωμεν (καθίζω)	kathisōmen (kathizō)	“to sit down, be seated”	seating denoting rank, honor, judicial or royal co-authority	sit, be seated, take a seat of honor	Ancient Near Eastern court protocol: the right and left hand of a king are the two highest positions of shared honor and authority	उपविशाव (upaviśāva, dual “let the two of us sit”). Risk: Low. Plain verb; the honor-seating convention itself should be preserved via translator note rather than a loaded Sanskrit court term, since Sanskrit’s own royal-court seating conventions (e.g., sabhā protocol) are close enough in sense to need only cultural-context annotation, not a doctrinal flag.

Mark 10:38

ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Οὐκ οἴδατε τί αἰτεῖσθε. δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω, ἢ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθῆναι; “Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?’”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
cup	ποτήριον	potērion	”drinking vessel, cup”	literal vessel; OT metaphor (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17; Jer 25:15) for a divinely-apportioned destiny, especially of suffering/judgment	cup, portion, lot	Metaphor for Jesus’ appointed suffering and death (cf. 14:36, “remove this cup from me”) — the disciples must share his suffering to share his glory	पात्रम् (pātram, “vessel, cup”). Risk: Medium. Requires an explicit translator note establishing the OT metaphorical sense (an apportioned cup of suffering/judgment), since पात्रम् alone reads as a bare physical vessel; no direct competing Sanskrit ritual-vessel doctrine (e.g., the soma-pātra of Vedic yajña) should be allowed to bleed into the metaphor’s meaning.
baptism	βάπτισμα (βαπτίζω)	baptisma (baptizō)	“immersion, dipping, washing”	John’s baptism of repentance (ch.1); Jesus’ own baptism (1:9-11); here, metaphorically, immersion in suffering/death	baptism, immersion, washing	Jesus reuses his own baptism as a figure for the total immersion in suffering and death he is about to undergo — the disciples are asked whether they can share that immersion	बाप्तिस्मः (bāptismaḥ) — transliterated, following the same principle by which “Messiah” and “Abba” are transliterated in the baseline rather than translated with a native ritual term. Risk: High. स्नानम् (snānam, ordinary ritual bathing) is explicitly rejected: snāna is a major, fully theorized Hindu purificatory practice (tīrtha-snāna, ritual bathing in sacred rivers to remove external ritual impurity), and using it here would recast baptism as a repeatable purity-rite rather than a once-given identification with Christ’s death, and would flatten the specific suffering-immersion metaphor Jesus constructs in this verse. Must carry a translator note distinguishing this from snāna every occurrence.
able	δύνασθε (δύναμαι)	dynasthe (dynamai)	“to be able, have power/capacity”	capacity or power to do something	able, can, have power to	Tests whether the disciples’ zeal for glory is matched by willingness to share Christ’s suffering	शक्नुथ (śaknutha). Risk: Low. Plain modal verb of capacity; not to be confused with सामर्थ्यम् (God’s power) or शक्तिः (forbidden Śākta term) — this is ordinary human capacity, not divine power.

Mark 10:39

οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· Δυνάμεθα. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τὸ ποτήριον ὃ ἐγὼ πίνω πίεσθε καὶ τὸ βάπτισμα ὃ ἐγὼ βαπτίζομαι βαπτισθήσεσθε, “And they said to him, ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,‘“

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
we are able	δυνάμεθα	dynametha	see v.38	see v.38	we can, we are able	The disciples’ confident (and historically ironic, given 14:50) assertion — Jesus affirms it will indeed be so (both James’s martyrdom, Acts 12:2, and John’s exile/suffering per church tradition)	शक्नुवः (śaknuvaḥ). Risk: Low.
cup / baptism (repeated)	ποτήριον / βάπτισμα	see above	see above	see above	see above	Jesus confirms: they will share his cup and baptism — genuine suffering discipleship, though not the atoning ransom of v.45, which belongs to the Son of Man alone	Same renderings as v.38; note continuity is required for consistency across the pericope.

Mark 10:40

τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἢ ἐξ εὐωνύμων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι, ἀλλ᾽ οἷς ἡτοίμασται. “but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
has been prepared	ἡτοίμασται (ἑτοιμάζω)	hētoimastai (hetoimazō)	“to prepare, make ready”	divine passive: prepared by God, in advance, according to his own counsel	has been prepared, appointed, made ready	Connects to the Father’s sovereign, pre-determined allotment of positions of honor — a providence/election theme parallel to Romans 8:28-30’s “foreknew…predestined”	परमेश्वरेण पूर्वं व्यवस्थापितम् (parameśvareṇa pūrvaṃ vyavasthāpitam, “arranged beforehand by God” — passive voice preserved by explicit agent phrase, since Sanskrit passive constructions can otherwise obscure the theological point that God is the one who has prepared it). Risk: High. This must be handled with the same care as the baseline “providence” and “election” entries: never रендer with भाग्यम्/दैवम् (impersonal fate) or कर्मफलम् (automatic karmic result) — this is God’s own deliberate, personal advance arrangement, not a cosmic mechanism.

Mark 10:41

Καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ δέκα ἤρξαντο ἀγανακτεῖν περὶ Ἰακώβου καὶ Ἰωάννου. “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
were indignant	ἀγανακτεῖν (ἀγανακτέω)	aganaktein (aganakteō)	“to be greatly displeased, indignant, angry”	strong displeasure, often at a perceived injustice or slight	were indignant, angry, displeased	Ironic: the other ten’s anger reveals that they too share James and John’s status-seeking impulse — the entire group needs the teaching that follows	क्रुद्धाः अभवन् (kruddhāḥ abhavan, “became angry”). Risk: Low. Plain emotion term; no doctrinal collision.

Mark 10:42

καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ δοκοῦντες ἄρχειν τῶν ἐθνῶν κατακυριεύουσιν αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι αὐτῶν κατεξουσιάζουσιν αὐτῶν. “And Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.’”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
rulers	ἄρχειν (ἄρχω)	archein (archō)	“to rule, be first, be chief”	political/social rulership	rule, govern, be chief	Describes the pattern of Gentile (secular) political power that Jesus explicitly rejects as a model for the church	शासकाः (śāsakāḥ, “rulers”). Risk: Low.
lord it over	κατακυριεύουσιν (κατακυριεύω)	katakyrieuousin (katakyrieuō)	compound of κατά (“down upon”) + κύριος (“lord”): “to dominate, exercise oppressive lordship over”	pejorative — top-down, self-serving domination, as opposed to legitimate benevolent authority	lord over, dominate, tyrannize	Names the worldly pattern of power-as-domination that Jesus contrasts with servanthood — the negative foil for the whole “Servanthood versus Worldly Greatness” doctrine	अधिपत्येन दमयन्ति (adhipatyena damayanti, “subjugate/dominate through overlordship”). Risk: High. Must be rendered with an unmistakably pejorative-domination sense, deliberately distinct from the baseline’s positive प्रभुः (Lord, reserved for Christ’s exclusive, benevolent Lordship — see “lord” entry). If a translator inadvertently uses a प्रभु-rooted verb here, the contrast Mark constructs between worldly lordship and Christlike service collapses.
exercise authority (over)	κατεξουσιάζουσιν (κατεξουσιάζω)	katexousiazousin (katexousiazō)	compound of κατά + ἐξουσία: “to exercise oppressive authority/mastery over”	pejorative counterpart to legitimate ἐξουσία	exercise authority over, tyrannize, hold power over	Parallel term to κατακυριεύω, reinforcing the picture of coercive worldly power	अधिकारेण पीडयन्ति (adhikāreṇa pīḍayanti, “oppress/harass through [their] authority”). Risk: High. Same concern as above: must not be confused with the positive अधिकारः used elsewhere for Jesus’ own legitimate, non-oppressive authority (see Chapter 1 entry below) — the qualifying verb पीडयन्ति (“oppress”) is essential to preserve the negative sense.

Mark 10:43

οὐχ οὕτως δέ ἐστιν ἐν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ὃς ἂν θέλῃ μέγας γενέσθαι ἐν ὑμῖν, ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος, “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,“

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
great	μέγας	megas	”great, large, important”	greatness of status, rank, or reputation	great, important, first	Jesus redefines “greatness” itself, inverting the worldly hierarchy named in v.42	महान् (mahān). Risk: Low.
servant	διάκονος	diakonos	”servant, attendant, one who waits at table”	table-service origin, broadened to any ministering service, including church office (deacon)	servant, minister, deacon, attendant	The positive Christian model of greatness: voluntary, others-oriented service, patterned on Christ himself (v.45)	सेवकः (sevakaḥ, “servant, one who serves”). Risk: Medium. Not previously fixed in the baseline Romans package (Romans does not use διάκονος as a major term). No major classical-philosophical collision on its own, but must be explicitly distinguished from guru-sevā, the devotional service a śiṣya (disciple) renders to a guru within the guru-śiṣya-paramparā, since Christian διάκονος-service is rendered to one another within the community, not primarily upward to a religious authority-figure for one’s own spiritual advancement.

Mark 10:44

καὶ ὃς ἂν θέλῃ ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι πρῶτος, ἔσται πάντων δοῦλος· “and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.”

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
first	πρῶτος	prōtos	”first, foremost, chief”	rank/priority	first, foremost, chief	Intensifies μέγας (v.43): the highest rank is redefined as the lowest service	प्रथमः (prathamaḥ). Risk: Low.
slave	δοῦλος	doulos	”slave, bondservant”	a person owned by and wholly subject to a master; in NT theology, also a positive self-designation of total devotion (Paul: δοῦλος Χριστοῦ)	slave, bondservant, servant	The most extreme statement of the servanthood-versus-greatness reversal: not merely serving, but being owned-status low, “of all”	दासः (dāsaḥ, “slave, servant”). Risk: Medium. दासः is well-attested and, notably, is also the term bhakti Vedānta tradition uses positively for a devotee’s self-abasement before a chosen deity (dāsya-bhāva, one of the recognized bhakti-rasa modes, e.g. Hanumān as Rāma’s dāsa) — this classical devotional resonance can be leveraged to convey voluntary, glad self-lowering rather than coerced degradation, but translators must flag that the dharmaśāstra’s literal chattel-slave/varṇa-linked legal status of दास is not in view here; the emphasis is on freely chosen humility modeled on Christ (v.45), not legal bondage.

Mark 10:45

καὶ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθεν διακονηθῆναι ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This is the theological climax of the pericope and, arguably, of the entire Gospel’s Christology (Suffering Servant), soteriology (the Cross, the Ransom), and ecclesiology (Servanthood) in a single verse.

Term	Greek	Transliteration	Literal Meaning	Semantic Range	English Variants	Contextual Theological Meaning	Sanskrit Rendering & Risk
Son of Man	ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	ho huios tou anthrōpou	”the son of the man/of mankind”	Jesus’ preferred self-designation in Mark (14x); rooted in Daniel 7:13-14 (a heavenly, glorified, universally-authoritative figure) and simultaneously carries the ordinary sense “a human being” — the deliberate paradox of humble humanity + divine authority	Son of Man	Combines Jesus’ true humanity with his transcendent, Daniel-7 authority and glory; here specifically frames his death as the Son of Man’s own chosen mission, not a defeat	मनुष्यपुत्रः (manuṣyaputraḥ, “son of man/mankind”). Risk: High. The literal compound is safe grammatically, but risks being flattened by a Sanskrit-literate reader into merely “a human being” (generic manuṣya), losing the Daniel 7 apocalyptic-authority freight entirely. Must always carry a translator note establishing the Daniel 7 background (a figure given everlasting dominion and glory) so that this is read as a deliberately paradoxical title — full deity-bearing authority and full humanity — not a modest self-reference. Must also be kept terminologically distinct from परमेश्वरस्य पुत्रः (Son of God), since Mark uses both titles for distinct (though united) theological purposes.
came	ἦλθεν (ἔρχομαι)	ēlthen (erchomai)	“came, arrived”	ordinary verb of coming/arrival; theologically weighted here as describing the purpose of the Incarnation itself	came	Presupposes the deḫadhāraṇam (incarnation) already analyzed in the baseline package: the Son of Man’s “coming” is the same event as his taking on human nature	आगच्छत् (āgacchat). Risk: Low on its own, but should be read together with the baseline “incarnation” (देहधारणम्) entry, since this verb names the purposive descent for which देहधारणम् is the technical theological name.
to be served / to serve	διακονηθῆναι / διακονῆσαι (διακονέω)	diakonēthēnai / diakonēsai (diakoneō)	verb form of διάκονος: “to serve, minister to, wait upon”	passive (“to be served”) versus active (“to serve”)	to be served / to serve, to be ministered to / to minister	States plainly, in Christ’s own voice, the total reversal of expected messianic/kingly expectation: the Son of Man’s mission is defined by giving service, not receiving it	सेवितुम् / सेवां कर्तुम् (sevituṃ / sevāṃ kartum). Risk: Medium. Same guru-sevā caveat as διάκονος above; here it is especially important because Christ himself is the subject, making the reversal even sharper — a “guru” figure voluntarily performing sevā that would ordinarily be rendered to him.
to give	δοῦναι (δίδωμι)	dounai (didōmi)	“to give, grant, hand over”	ordinary verb of giving; here, of a costly, deliberate self-offering	to give, to lay down, to offer up	Emphasizes the voluntary, deliberate nature of Christ’s self-sacrifice — not something done to him merely, but something he himself gives	दातुम् (dātum). Risk: Low.
his life / soul	τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ (ψυχή)	tēn psychēn autou (psychē)	“his soul/life/self”	ranges across (a) the animating life-principle, (b) one’s whole self/person, (c) physical life itself, which is what is at stake in death	life, soul, self	Christ’s whole embodied life is given up in death — this is the “life” that is surrendered, not a separable inner faculty	प्राणाः (prāṇāḥ, “life-breaths,” idiomatic Sanskrit for one’s life — cf. the classical idiom प्राणान् त्यजति, “he gives up his life-breaths,” i.e., dies). Risk: Critical. आत्मा/आत्मन् (the ordinarily available word for “soul/self”) is deliberately avoided here, for exactly the reason the baseline package reserves आत्मा strictly for the compound पवित्र आत्मा (Holy Spirit): rendering ψυχή with आत्मा at this climactic verse — “give up his ātman” — would risk activating the mahāvākya identity-claims (ahaṃ brahmāsmi, tat tvam asi) precisely where the text is making a claim about Christ’s historical, bodily self-sacrifice, not a metaphysical statement about the universal Self. प्राणाः names the concrete life given up in death without invoking Vedāntic self-metaphysics. This choice must be documented as a cross-reference to the baseline “holy_spirit” entry every time it recurs (also at 8:35-37, “whoever would save his ψυχή…“).
ransom	λύτρον	lytron	”the price paid to release/redeem” (from λύω, “to loose, release”)	a specific commercial-legal term: the purchase price paid to free a slave or captive, or to redeem a pledged item; in LXX usage, also the redemption-price for a life (Exod 21:30; 30:12)	ransom, redemption price	THE central soteriological term of this passage: Christ’s death is the price that purchases release for those enslaved to sin and death — deliberately transactional and substitutionary language	निष्क्रयः (niṣkrayaḥ, “ransom, redemption-price, buy-back price” — an attested classical term, e.g. in dharmaśāstra contexts describing the price paid to redeem a pledged person or animal). Risk: Critical. निष्क्रयः is chosen precisely because it is a genuine commercial redemption term, not a philosophical liberation term: it must never be rendered with, or explained through, मोक्षः or मुक्तिः (the fully theorized fourth puruṣārtha of Self-realized liberation from saṃsāra achieved through jñāna-, bhakti-, or karma-mārga — see the baseline “salvation” entry), since that would make the ransom something the ransomed achieve rather than something paid on their behalf, once, by another. It must also be distinguished from the Mīmāṃsā do-ut-des exchange logic of Vedic yajña (a ritual offering given to a deity in expectation of a return benefit): the ransom of Mark 10:45 is not an offering given to God to secure a favor, but a price God’s own Son pays to liberate captives — the direction of the transaction is reversed. Every occurrence requires a translator note making both distinctions explicit.
for/instead of	ἀντὶ	anti	”in place of, instead of, in exchange for”	a substitutionary preposition — marking a literal exchange, one thing given in place of another	for, instead of, in exchange for, in place of	The precise grammatical marker of substitution: the Son of Man’s life is given in the place of the many, not merely “on behalf of” or “for the benefit of” in a vague sense	निमित्तम्/विनिमयेन (nimittam / vinimayena, “in exchange for/in place of”). Risk: High. Sanskrit lacks a single preposition with the exact substitutionary force of ἀντί; विनिमयेन (“in exchange”) best preserves the strict one-for-another substitution sense and should be preferred over the weaker अर्थे (“for the sake of,” which can read as mere benefit rather than substitution). This grammatical choice is doctrinally load-bearing for the “Necessity of the Cross” doctrine and should be flagged for human theologian review whenever this verse is translated.
many	πολλῶν (πολύς)	pollōn (polys)	“many”	numerically or qualitatively “many,” not necessarily “all”	many	Echoes Isaiah 53:11-12 (the Suffering Servant “bears the sin of many,” LXX πολλῶν) — deliberately tying this verse to the Suffering Servant doctrine named in this curriculum	बहूनाम् (bahūnām). Risk: Medium. Low grammatical risk, but requires a translator note connecting this word explicitly to Isaiah 53 (Suffering Servant), since that OT background, not any Sanskrit philosophical category, is what supplies this term’s theological depth.

PART B — CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY OF THE WHOLE BOOK

Chapter 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel, John’s Baptism, Jesus’ Authority

gospel — εὐαγγελίου (euangeliou), “good news, glad tidings.” Semantic range: an authoritative royal/imperial announcement in Koine usage, repurposed for the proclamation of God’s saving act. English variants: gospel, good news. Theological meaning (1:1, 1:14-15): the entire book’s title and thesis. Reuse baseline exactly: सुसमाचारः. Risk High (per baseline).
Son of God — υἱοῦ θεοῦ (huiou theou), “son of God.” Semantic range: unique divine sonship (not honorary/adoptive). Theological meaning (1:1, 1:11): establishes Mark’s Christology from the opening verse and at the baptism voice from heaven. Reuse baseline exactly: परमेश्वरस्य पुत्रः. Risk Critical (per baseline).
baptism / to baptize — βάπτισμα/βαπτίζω (baptisma/baptizō), “immersion, dipping.” Semantic range: John’s baptism of repentance (1:4-5, distinct from later Christian baptism into Christ, though continuous with it); Jesus’ own baptism (1:9-11). English variants: baptism, immersion, washing. Theological meaning: John’s call to national repentance in preparation for the Coming One; Jesus’ baptism as the moment of the Spirit’s descent and the Father’s declaration of Sonship. New term: बाप्तिस्मः (bāptismaḥ), transliterated. Risk High — see full discussion under Mark 10:38 above; स्नानम् (ritual bathing) explicitly rejected.
repentance — μετάνοιαν (metanoian), “a change of mind, turning around.” Semantic range: inward reorientation of mind and will toward God, distinct from mere regret. English variants: repentance, turning, conversion. Theological meaning (1:4, 1:15): the necessary human response to the in-breaking kingdom. New term: मनःपरिवर्तनम् (manaḥparivartanam, “change of mind/heart”). Risk High. प्रायश्चित्तम् (prāyaścittam) is explicitly rejected: this is dharmaśāstra’s own fully theorized system of graded ritual penances prescribed for graded sins (see Manusmṛti); biblical repentance is an inward turning, not a ritual-performative expiation restoring ritual purity.
kingdom of God … at hand — ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ (ēngiken hē basileia tou theou), “the kingdom of God has drawn near/is at hand.” Semantic range: ἐγγίζω, “to approach, come near,” of imminent but not-yet-fully-arrived nearness. Theological meaning (1:15): the programmatic announcement of the “Kingdom of God Breaking In” doctrine — an inaugurated-but-not-consummated reign. Reuse “kingdom of God” exactly: परमेश्वरस्य राज्यम्. New qualifier: आसन्नम् (āsannam, “near, imminent, close at hand”). Risk Medium: आसन्नम् itself carries no major philosophical collision, but must be explained (via translator note) as expressing “already breaking in, not yet consummated” — a temporal-theological nuance that a single Sanskrit adjective cannot carry alone.
unclean spirit / demon — πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον / δαιμόνιον (pneuma akatharton / daimonion), “unclean spirit / demon, lesser deity/spirit-being.” Semantic range: δαιμόνιον in pagan Greek could denote a minor deity or spirit, neutral or malevolent; in NT usage it is uniformly malevolent, opposed to God. Theological meaning (1:23-27, 1:34, 1:39): the first demonstration of Jesus’ authority (ἐξουσία) over the demonic realm — a load-bearing text for the “Authority over Sickness, Sin, and Nature” doctrine. New term: भूतः / दुष्टभूतः (bhūtaḥ / duṣṭabhūtaḥ, “evil spirit/ghost”). Risk High. Critical cross-reference: this must never be rendered using आत्मा (even the bare, unqualified word), because doing so would produce the phrase “अशुद्ध आत्मा” (“unclean ātman”), which would directly threaten the baseline package’s single most protected doctrinal boundary — the reservation of आत्मा exclusively for the Holy Spirit’s dignity within पवित्र आत्मा. भूतः/पिशाचः/दुष्टभूतः are the correct, doctrinally safe options, drawn from established Sanskrit demonological vocabulary (bhūta, piśāca) rather than from the Vedāntic self-vocabulary.
leprosy / leper — λέπρα / λεπρός (lepra / lepros), “leprosy / leper.” Semantic range: a skin disease rendering a person ritually unclean under Mosaic law (Leviticus 13-14), socially and cultically excluded. Theological meaning (1:40-42): Jesus touches and heals a leper, crossing a ritual-purity boundary — anticipating the “Authority over Sickness” and compassion themes. New term: कुष्ठरोगः / कुष्ठरोगी (kuṣṭharogaḥ / kuṣṭharogī, “leprosy/leper”). Risk Medium. Dharmaśāstra literature (e.g., Manusmṛti) similarly treats kuṣṭha as a ritually polluting condition warranting social exclusion from certain rites; translators must preserve, not soften, the fact that Jesus deliberately crosses this exact kind of purity-exclusion boundary rather than reinforcing it.
authority — ἐξουσία (exousia), “authority, right, delegated power to act.” Semantic range: distinct from δύναμις (raw power/ability) — ἐξουσία is rightful, warranted power, whether delegated or inherent. Theological meaning (1:22, 1:27): “he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” — the crowds are astonished not merely at Jesus’ power but at his unmediated, self-evident right to teach and command unclean spirits. Load-bearing for the “Authority over Sickness, Sin, and Nature” doctrine across the whole book. New term: अधिकारः (adhikāraḥ, “authority, right, warrant”). Risk High. अधिकारः is deliberately chosen — following the same methodology the baseline uses for विधिः (Law) — from Pūrva Mīmāṃsā’s own technical vocabulary, where adhikāra names the ritual qualification/eligibility to perform a Vedic sacrifice (traditionally restricted by varṇa). This collision must be explicitly flagged and redefined: Jesus’ ἐξουσία is inherent, divine, and freely exercised across every ritual-purity and social boundary (touching lepers, forgiving sins, commanding nature) — the opposite of a caste-restricted ritual eligibility.

Chapter 2 — Forgiveness of Sins, the Son of Man, Sabbath Controversy

sin / forgive sins — ἁμαρτίας / ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας (hamartias / aphienai hamartias), “sins / to forgive/send away sins.” Theological meaning (2:5-10): Jesus’ claim to forgive sins directly is the narrative’s first explicit claim to divine prerogative, provoking the charge of blasphemy. Reuse “sin” exactly: पापम्. New term for “forgive”: क्षमा (kṣamā, “forgiveness, pardon”). Risk Medium. Note: क्षमा was explicitly rejected in the baseline only as a substitute for justification (धर्मीति निर्णयः), because forgiveness of a specific offense and forensic declaration-of-righteousness are distinct (though related) concepts. Used here for its proper referent — pardon of sin — क्षमा is appropriate, but must be distinguished both from justification and from dharmaśāstra’s prāyaścitta (ritual penance) system: Jesus forgives directly, by his own authority, without a ritual atonement procedure.
Son of Man — ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (2:10, 2:28). First two occurrences of Mark’s signature title, here specifically tied to the authority to forgive sins and to interpret the Sabbath. New term: मनुष्यपुत्रः. Risk High — see full discussion at Mark 10:45 above; the Daniel 7 background must be established at this, its first occurrence in the book.
Sabbath — σάββατον (sabbaton). Semantic range: the seventh-day rest commanded in Torah, hedged by extensive rabbinic case-law by the first century. Theological meaning (2:23-28): “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” — an implicit claim to authority over Torah’s own institutions. New term: विश्रामदिनम् (viśrāmadinam, “day of rest”). Risk Medium. Must not be assimilated to any specific Hindu tithi or vrata observance day (e.g., ekādaśī fasting days), which are calendrically and devotionally distinct institutions; a descriptive, non-ritually-loaded compound is preferred for this reason.
fasting — νηστεία/νηστεύω (nēsteia/nēsteuō), “fasting.” Theological meaning (2:18-20): the wedding-feast metaphor reframes fasting as inappropriate during the Bridegroom’s presence — pointing to the “already” of the in-breaking kingdom. New term: उपवासः (upavāsaḥ). Risk Medium: उपवास is itself a major, calendar-bound Hindu ritual-vrata practice; must be explained as occasional and situational in Mark’s context, not tied to a fixed devotional calendar.

Chapter 3 — Beelzebul, Blasphemy against the Spirit, the New Family of God

Beelzebul — Βεελζεβούλ (Beelzeboul), a title for the prince of demons. Transliterated proper name: बेल्जबूल् (beljabūl). Risk Low (proper name; explanatory note on identity as satanic figure required, not a translation risk).
blasphemy (against the Holy Spirit) — βλασφημία (blasphēmia), “slander, defamation, impious speech against God.” Theological meaning (3:28-29): the unforgivable sin of attributing the Spirit’s work to Satan. New term: सर्वेश्वरनिन्दा / पवित्रात्मनिन्दा (sarveśvaranindā / pavitrātmanindā, “reviling of God/of the Holy Spirit”). Risk High. Must use सर्वेश्वर-, never bare ईश्वर- (per the baseline’s forbidden-substitution rule for “God”), and when referring specifically to blasphemy against the Spirit, must use the fixed compound पवित्र आत्मा with its personhood note intact, not a bare आत्मा-based compound.
will of God (new family) — τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ (to thelēma tou theou), “the will of God.” Theological meaning (3:31-35): Jesus redefines family/kinship around obedience to God’s will rather than blood relation — an ecclesiological anticipation of the “Church as God’s People” doctrine. New term: परमेश्वरस्य इच्छा (parameśvarasya icchā). Risk Low-Medium; plain compound, no major competing technical sense.

Chapter 4 — Parables, the Mystery of the Kingdom

parable — παραβολή (parabolē), “a placing beside, comparison, illustrative story.” Semantic range: an extended figurative narrative used to teach or (per 4:11-12) to simultaneously reveal and conceal. Theological meaning: Jesus’ primary teaching mode in this chapter, directly relevant to the “Kingdom of God Breaking In” and “Messianic Secret” doctrines. New term: दृष्टान्तः (dṛṣṭāntaḥ, “illustration, example”). Risk Medium-High. दृष्टान्त is also the technical name of the third of the five members (avayava) of the classical Nyāya syllogism — the illustrative example-premise in a formal logical proof. Translators must clarify that Jesus’ parables are narrative teaching-illustrations designed to provoke reflection and (per 4:11-12) reveal truth selectively to those who respond in faith, not formal steps within a deductive logical proof.
mystery — τὸ μυστήριον (to mystērion), “secret, mystery.” Theological meaning (4:11): “to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything is in parables” — the key doctrinal text for the “Messianic Secret” theme. New term: रहस्यम् (rahasyam, “secret, mystery”). Risk Medium-High. रहस्य is a well-attested term for esoteric doctrine restricted to qualified initiates in both Vedāntic and Tantric literature (secret teaching disclosed through formal dīkṣā, initiation); translators must clarify that access to this “secret” in Mark is not gained through ritual initiation into a hierarchy of spiritual attainment, but through simple, receptive faith-response to Jesus’ proclamation, open in principle to anyone.

Chapter 5 — Legion, the Woman with the Flow of Blood, Jairus’ Daughter

demon / Legion — δαιμόνιον / Λεγιὼν (daimonion / Legiōn). Theological meaning (5:1-20): the naming “Legion” (a Roman military unit) subtly indicts the surrounding occupying power while dramatizing the sheer scale of Jesus’ authority over the demonic. Reuse भूतः/दुष्टभूतः established in Chapter 1. Λεγιών is a transliterated proper name: लेगियोन् (legiyon). Risk Low (name); the theological point (Jesus’ authority extends over an entire “army” of unclean spirits) should be preserved in translator notes.
faith — πίστις/πίστει (pistis) — “your faith has…” (5:34). Reuse baseline exactly: विश्वासः. Risk High (per baseline).
saved / healed — σέσωκέν σε (sesōken se, from σῴζω), “has saved/healed you.” Semantic range: σῴζω in the Gospels regularly carries a deliberate double sense — physical healing/rescue and spiritual salvation simultaneously. Theological meaning (5:34; also 5:23, 10:52): Mark exploits this ambiguity to present physical healing as a sign pointing toward the fuller salvation named elsewhere by σωτηρία. New term for this healing-context use: त्रातवती (trātavatī, feminine perfect “[your faith] has rescued/saved,” from the same √trā root as the baseline “salvation” term त्राणम्). Risk High. Deliberately built on the same root as त्राणम् (rather than a purely medical term like आरोग्यम्, “health”) in order to preserve Mark’s own theological wordplay linking physical restoration to fuller salvation — this is a case where consistency of root, not a “cleaner” medical term, is the doctrinally correct choice. A translator note must explain this deliberate double-register at each occurrence.

Chapter 6 — Sending of the Twelve, Herod, Feeding of the 5,000, Walking on Water

authority (to the Twelve) — ἐξουσίαν (6:7). Reuse Chapter 1: अधिकारः. Risk High (same Mīmāṃsā adhikāra concern; here extended — Jesus delegates his authority to the Twelve, which should be flagged as a distinct but related nuance: shared, derivative authority, not autonomous authority).
apostle / send — ἀπόστολος / ἀποστέλλω (apostolos / apostellō), “one sent / to send.” Reuse baseline exactly: प्रेषितः (for the noun); verb आदेशेन प्रेषयति (ādeśena preṣayati) may be used for the verb form. Risk Medium (per baseline).
prophet — προφήτης (prophētēs), “prophet” (6:4, 6:15). Reuse baseline exactly: भविष्यद्वक्ता. Risk Low (per baseline).
mighty works / power — δυνάμεις (dynameis) — “what mighty works (are done by his hands)!” (6:2; cf. 6:14). Reuse baseline’s “power of God” root exactly: सामर्थ्यम्. Risk High (per baseline “power_of_god” entry — शक्तिः remains forbidden). Extends the “Authority over Sickness, Sin, and Nature” doctrine to include authority over natural elements (6:45-52, walking on the sea, calming context established already in 4:35-41).

Chapter 7 — Tradition versus Commandment, Corban, Defilement, the Syrophoenician Woman

tradition (of men) — παράδοσις (paradosis), “that which is handed down, tradition.” Theological meaning (7:8-9, 7:13): Jesus contrasts “the commandment of God” with “the tradition of men,” specifically regarding the Corban vow’s misuse to evade filial duty. New term: परम्परा (paramparā, “tradition, lineage-transmission”). Risk High. Paramparā is the very term naming the guru-lineage transmission of authority central to nearly every classical Sanskrit school’s account of how truth and practice are handed down (the same concern the baseline flags for γυρु under “apostle”); this creates a double-edged risk: on one hand, it aptly names human, tradition-bound religious practice as Jesus critiques it in this specific case; on the other, an unwary reader might extend the critique to all paramparā-based transmission as such, which is not Mark’s point (Jesus critiques the misuse of a specific human tradition to nullify God’s clear command, not the category of transmitted teaching per se). Requires careful framing at first occurrence.
Corban — κορβάν (korban), a Hebrew/Aramaic term for a vow dedicating something irrevocably to God (temple treasury). Transliterated: कर्बान् (karbān). Risk Medium; requires explanatory note (a specific first-century Jewish legal-vow category, not a Sanskrit-tradition concept) rather than a doctrinal-collision flag.
commandment — ἐντολή (entolē), “command, injunction.” New term: आज्ञा (ājñā, “command, order”). Risk Low-Medium; note the unrelated homonym ājñā-cakra in later yogic physiology, a minor and non-doctrinal point worth a brief translator note only.
defiled / unclean (ritually) — κοινός/κοινοῦν (koinos/koinoun), “common, ritually unclean” (7:15, 7:18-23). Theological meaning: Jesus relocates the source of defilement from external ritual contact to the internal “heart.” New term: अशुद्धम् (aśuddham, “impure, unclean” — distinguished from पवित्रम्, “holy,” and from शुद्धम्, ritual purity’s positive counterpart). Risk Medium.
heart — καρδία (kardia), “heart,” seat of thought, will, and moral character (7:19, 7:21). New term: हृदयम् (hṛdayam). Risk Low; hṛdayam is not a heavily systematized technical term in the way ātman or dharma are, so it carries comparatively little classical-philosophical baggage.
Gentiles — the Syrophoenician woman episode (7:24-30). Reuse baseline exactly: अन्यजातीयाः where “Gentile” terminology is used; म्लेच्छाः remains rejected per baseline reasoning.

Chapter 8 — Feeding of the 4,000, Peter’s Confession, First Passion Prediction, Taking Up the Cross

Christ — ὁ Χριστός (ho Christos), “the Christ, the Anointed One” (8:29, Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ”). Proper-name/title form: ख्रीष्टः (khrīṣṭaḥ), per the established Christian Sanskrit transliteration standard (12_ai_translation_requirements.md); conceptually anchored to the baseline’s dedicated “Messiah” doctrine term मसीहः, used when the underlying Jewish messianic-promise concept (rather than the fixed proper title) is being discussed. Risk Critical (per baseline “messiah” entry).
cross (take up one’s cross) — σταυρός/ἆρον τὸν σταυρόν αὐτοῦ (stauros / aron ton stauron autou), “cross / let him take up his cross” (8:34). Semantic range: originally a literal execution-stake; here, metaphorically, a call to costly, potentially fatal discipleship. Theological meaning: the founding text for the “Necessity of the Cross” and discipleship-amid-fear doctrines, introduced immediately after the first passion prediction (8:31). New term: क्रूशः (krūśaḥ), transliterated, following the historic Sanskrit Christian Bible-translation precedent (parallel to how “Messiah” is transliterated rather than translated with a native equivalent). Risk Critical. Deliberately not rendered with a purely descriptive Sanskrit term for the ancient Indian capital-punishment method of impalement (śūlāropaṇam), since a functional-descriptive term alone would carry none of the specific theological weight the cross carries as the unique locus of atonement (see 10:45’s ransom entry); every occurrence must be paired with a note establishing this specific theological weight, not treated as a generic reference to a historical execution method.
deny himself — ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν (aparnēsasthō heauton), “let him deny/disown himself” (8:34). Semantic range: renunciation of one’s own claims, comforts, and self-interest for Christ’s sake. New term: स्वार्थं त्यजेत् (svārthaṃ tyajet, “let him abandon self-interest”). Risk Medium. A rendering using आत्मानम् (the ordinary Sanskrit reflexive pronoun, “-self”) is grammatically available and common (आत्मानं जानाति, “he knows himself,” is standard usage), and using it here as a mere reflexive pronoun would not, on its own, activate the Holy-Spirit-specific ātman-Brahman concern; nevertheless, given how sensitive this root is throughout this Language Package, स्वार्थं त्यजेत् is preferred as the lower-risk option, avoiding आत्मन् altogether in this verse.
soul / life — ψυχή (psychē), “whoever would save his ψυχή will lose it…” (8:35-37). Reuse the Chapter/10:45 rendering: प्राणाः (prāṇāḥ). Risk Critical — same आत्मा-avoidance rationale as at 10:45.
rebuke (messianic secret) — ἐπιτιμάω (epitimaō), “to rebuke, charge sternly” (8:30, 8:32-33). Theological meaning: Jesus’ repeated commands to silence about his identity, and Peter’s rebuke of Jesus (immediately reversed), are central texts for the “Messianic Secret” doctrine. New term: तर्जनम्/निषेधः (tarjanam/niṣedhaḥ, “sharp rebuke/prohibition”). Risk Medium; the term itself carries low philosophical risk, but the pattern of silencing (see also 1:34, 1:44, 3:12, 9:9) should be tracked as a unified motif across chapters with consistent terminology.

Chapter 9 — Transfiguration, the Beloved Son, Gehenna

transfiguration / was transfigured — μετεμορφώθη (metemorphōthē, from μεταμορφόω), “was transformed/transfigured” (9:2). Semantic range: a temporary, revelatory change of visible form disclosing a hidden reality (here, Christ’s divine glory). Theological meaning: momentarily reveals the glory (δόξα, महिमा) that belongs to the Son eternally. New term: रूपान्तरम् (rūpāntaram, “change of form”). Risk High. This must be explicitly distinguished from Bhagavad Gītā chapter 11’s viśvarūpa-darśana — Krishna’s revelation of his cosmic, multi-form body to Arjuna — a directly citable, structurally similar “hidden divine form revealed” narrative. The distinction required: Christ’s transfiguration reveals the unique, eternal glory of the one true Son of God, not one of several cosmic forms available to a deity capable of periodic self-manifestation (cf. the “incarnation” entry’s avatāra caution in the baseline).
beloved Son — ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός (ho huios mou ho agapētos), “my beloved Son” (9:7). Reuse baseline exactly: परमेश्वरस्य पुत्रः, with the qualifier प्रियः (priyaḥ, “beloved”) added: प्रियः पुत्रः. Risk Critical (per baseline “son_of_god” entry).
Gehenna — γέεννα (geenna), “Gehenna,” the valley of Hinnom, used by Jesus as a name for final judgment/hell (9:43-48). New term: गेहेन्ना (gehennā), transliterated, with descriptive gloss अनन्तयातनास्थानम् (anantayātanāsthānam, “place of unending torment”) available for first-occurrence explanation. Risk Critical. नरकः (naraka), the standard Sanskrit word for “hell,” is available but carries serious risk: Purāṇic cosmology systematically catalogues multiple specific named narakas (Raurava, Kumbhīpāka, etc.) as temporary karmic punishments, exhausted after a finite (if vast) period, after which the soul re-enters the cycle of rebirth. Using नरकः without qualification risks exactly the same category error the baseline flags for “resurrection” (पुनर्जन्म) and “salvation” (मोक्षः): Gehenna in Mark’s usage names a final, not a temporary and cyclically-resolved, judgment.

marriage / divorce — γάμος / ἀπολύω (gamos / apolyō) (10:2-12). New term: विवाहः / त्यागः (vivāhaḥ / tyāgaḥ, “marriage / abandonment-divorce”). Risk Medium; dharmaśāstra contains its own extensive, varṇa-specific rules on marital dissolution, which should not be allowed to substitute for or dilute Jesus’ own creation-based teaching (citing Genesis) on marriage’s permanence.
children (kingdom belongs to) — παιδία (paidia), “children” (10:13-16). Reuse “kingdom of God”: परमेश्वरस्य राज्यम्. Risk Low-Medium; the point (childlike receptivity, not achievement, characterizes kingdom entry) reinforces “grace not merit” already flagged Critical/High in the baseline “grace” entry.
eternal life — ζωὴν αἰώνιον (zōēn aiōnion), “eternal life” (10:17, 10:30). Semantic range: functions in the Gospels as a near-synonym for salvation, with an emphasis on unending quality of life in fellowship with God, not merely unending duration. New term: अनन्तं जीवनम् (anantaṃ jīvanam, “unending life”). Risk High. Must be explicitly coordinated with the baseline’s त्राणम् (salvation) doctrine rather than treated as a separate concept, and must never be explained via मोक्षः/मुक्तिः (liberation from saṃsāra) — the rich man’s question (“what must I do to inherit eternal life?”) and Jesus’ answer both directly engage themes the baseline’s “salvation” and “grace” entries already govern.
follow — ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheō), “to follow, accompany as a disciple” (10:21, 10:28, 10:52). Theological meaning: the basic verb of discipleship throughout Mark. New term: अनुगमनम् (anugamanam, “following after”). Risk Medium. Must be distinguished from following a guru within a guru-śiṣya-paramparā as one option among several equally valid teachers; here, following is exclusive discipleship to the one Lord (प्रभुः).

Chapter 11 — Triumphal Entry, Cleansing of the Temple

Hosanna — ὡσαννά (hōsanna), a Hebrew liturgical acclamation (“save now!”). Transliterated: होशन्ना (hośannā). Risk Low; established liturgical transliteration, requires only a brief explanatory gloss of its original petitionary sense.
temple / house of prayer — τὸ ἱερόν / οἶκος προσευχῆς (to hieron / oikos proseuchēs), “the temple / house of prayer” (11:15-17, quoting Isaiah 56:7). New term: मन्दिरम् (mandiram) / प्रार्थनागृहम् (prārthanāgṛham, “house of prayer”). Risk High. Unlike the baseline’s rejection of मन्दिरम् for “church” (which names the congregation, not a building), मन्दिरम् is an acceptable descriptive term here for the literal Jerusalem Temple building. However, translators must flag a crucial theological distinction at first occurrence: the Jerusalem Temple’s innermost sanctuary was strictly aniconic (housing the Ark, not an image/mūrti), whereas a Hindu मन्दिर is definitionally an image-housing shrine (garbhagṛha enclosing a consecrated mūrti) — this contrast (an un-imaged divine presence versus an enshrined image) is theologically significant and should not be allowed to pass unremarked.
prayer — προσευχή (proseuchē) (11:17, 11:24-25). Reuse the doctrine registry’s established rendering: प्रार्थना. Risk Medium (per baseline doctrine_risk_registry’s “prayer_and_intercession” entry — distinguish from Vedic ritual invocation requiring precise mantra performance for efficacy).

Chapter 12 — The Shema, the Greatest Commandment, Render unto Caesar, the Cornerstone

Lord … is one — Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν Κύριος εἷς ἐστιν (Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn Kyrios heis estin), quoting the Shema (Deut 6:4) (12:29). Reuse baseline exactly: प्रभुः, सर्वेश्वरः for “Lord” and “God our God”; new term for “one”: एकः (ekaḥ). Risk Critical. This is a direct parallel in severity to the baseline’s single highest-risk entry (Holy Spirit/ātman): Advaita Vedānta’s foundational formula is precisely “ekam eva advaitam” (“one only, without a second,” Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.2.1), asserting the sole non-dual reality of Brahman with all apparent plurality as māyā. An Advaita-trained reader could easily hear the Shema’s एकः as a numerically-toned restatement of that metaphysical monism rather than the Shema’s own claim: that there exists only one true personal God among the many rival deities of the ancient world, a claim about the exclusivity of divine identity and worship, not about the sole ultimate reality of an impersonal Absolute against illusory plurality. This term must never appear at 12:29 without an explicit redefinition note, exactly as required for पवित्र आत्मा.
love — ἀγάπη/ἀγαπήσεις (agapē/agapēseis), “love” — the great commandment to love God and neighbor (12:30-31, quoting Deut 6:5 and Lev 19:18). New term: प्रेम (prema). Risk High. प्रेम is the standard and richly-developed term for divine-devotional love in bhakti Vedānta (Vaiṣṇava rasa theory catalogues prema in its own systematized categories, including the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa romantic-devotional paradigm); biblical ἀγάπη here names a commanded, covenantal, self-giving love owed equally to God and to neighbor, not primarily an emotional or romantic devotion directed toward a freely chosen personal deity (iṣṭa-devatā). Requires explicit redefinition at first occurrence.
Caesar — Καῖσαρ (Kaisar), proper name (12:14-17). Transliterated: कैसरः (kaisaraḥ). Risk Low (proper name); the theological point (a limited claim of civil authority, distinct from and subordinate to God’s ultimate claim) should be noted but is not itself a term-translation risk.
cornerstone — κεφαλὴν γωνίας (kephalēn gōnias), “head of the corner,” quoting Psalm 118:22 (12:10-11). New term: कोणस्य प्रधानप्रस्तरः (koṇasya pradhānaprastaraḥ, “chief stone of the corner”). Risk Low-Medium; a messianic architectural metaphor with minimal classical-philosophical collision, requiring mainly an explanatory note of its Psalm 118 source.

Chapter 13 — The Olivet Discourse: Tribulation, False Messiahs, Watchfulness

tribulation — θλῖψις (thlipsis), “affliction, distress, tribulation” (13:19, 13:24). New term: संकटम् (saṅkaṭam, “crisis, distress”). Risk Medium. Deliberately avoids क्लेशः (kleśa) — Yoga Sūtra 2.3’s technical term for the five specific afflictions (avidyā, asmitā, rāga, dveṣa, abhiniveśa) that bind the self to saṃsāra, a fully theorized psychological category incompatible with the historically-situated eschatological distress Mark 13 describes — and avoids दुःखम् (duḥkha), similarly loaded as the first term of Sāṅkhya philosophy’s opening sūtra and the first of Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths.
abomination of desolation — τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως (to bdelygma tēs erēmōseōs), quoting Daniel (13:14). New term: विनाशकं दूषितवस्तु (vināśakaṃ dūṣitavastu, “a destructive, defiling thing”). Risk Medium; primarily requires an explanatory note establishing its specific Danielic-apocalyptic historical referent rather than flagging a Sanskrit philosophical collision.
watch / be alert — γρηγορεῖτε (grēgoreite), “watch, stay awake, be alert” (13:33-37). New term: सावधानाः जागृताः भवत (sāvadhānāḥ jāgṛtāḥ bhavata, “be watchful and awake”). Risk Medium. जागृत (jāgrat) is notably the technical name of the ordinary “waking state” in the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad’s fourfold scheme of consciousness (jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti, turīya); pairing it with सावधान (“heedful, careful”) is recommended to keep the sense firmly in the register of moral-eschatological vigilance rather than suggesting a claim about states of consciousness.
false messiahs — ψευδόχριστοι (pseudochristoi), “false Christs/Messiahs” (13:22). New compound: मृषामसीहाः (mṛṣāmasīhāḥ, “false Messiahs”), built on the baseline’s established मसीहः. Risk Medium; low risk on its own, since it inherits the “messiah” entry’s protections rather than introducing a new collision.

Chapter 14 — The Last Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal, Peter’s Denial, Trial

my body / my blood — τὸ σῶμά μου / τὸ αἷμά μου (to sōma mou / to haima mou), “my body / my blood” (14:22-24). Theological meaning: institution of the Lord’s Supper, directly interpreting Christ’s imminent death as the basis of the “new covenant.” New terms: शरीरम् (śarīram, “body”) / रक्तम् (raktam, “blood”). Risk High. Both terms are grammatically and lexically plain, but require substantial explanatory background (the Passover meal, Exodus 24’s covenant-blood ceremony) for a Sanskrit-literate audience without prior exposure to that Old Testament framework; there is no close Vedic ritual analogue in which a deity’s own body and blood constitute the sacrificial elements, so the theological weight here rests on explanatory notes rather than on avoiding a specific rival doctrine.
covenant (of my blood) — τῆς διαθήκης (14:24). Reuse baseline exactly: संविद्, qualified as नवीना संविद् (“new covenant”) where 14:24’s “covenant” language should be read alongside the “new covenant” theme. Risk High (per baseline).
betray / hand over — παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi), “to hand over, deliver up, betray” (14:10-11, 14:18, 14:21, 14:41-44). New term: विश्वासघातः (viśvāsaghātaḥ, “betrayal of trust,” literally “the killing/breaking of viśvāsa”). Risk Medium. Notable positive by-product: this compound is built directly on the baseline’s established विश्वासः (“faith/trust”), preserving in Sanskrit the same underlying idea the Greek narrative exploits — Judas’s betrayal is precisely a violation of the trust relationship faith names.
deny — ἀρνέομαι (arneomai), “to deny, disown” — Peter’s threefold denial (14:66-72). New term: अपह्नवः/अस्वीकरणम् (apahnavaḥ/asvīkaraṇam, “denial, disavowal”). Risk Low.
Gethsemane — Γεθσημανί (Gethsēmani), proper name (14:32). Transliterated: गेत्शमनी (getśamanī). Risk Low (proper name).

Chapter 15 — Trial before Pilate, Crucifixion, Death

crucify / crucified — σταυρόω/ἐσταύρωσαν (stauroō/estaurōsan), verb form of the noun already established (15:13-15, 15:20-27). Reuse Chapter 8’s term: क्रूशे अर्पितः/क्रूशयितुम् (built on क्रूशः). Risk Critical (same as Chapter 8).
King of the Jews — ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων (ho basileus tōn Ioudaiōn), the ironic-then-true royal title (15:2, 15:9, 15:12, 15:18, 15:26, 15:32). New term: यहूदीयानां राजा (yahūdīyānāṃ rājā). Risk Medium. The mocking irony (a title intended as derision that the narrative affirms as true) must be preserved rather than flattened into either purely honorific or purely mocking language.
temple curtain (torn in two) — τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ (to katapetasma tou naou) (15:38). New term: यवनिका (yavanikā, “curtain, veil”). Risk Medium; the theological significance (unmediated access to God’s presence opened at the moment of Christ’s death) requires an explanatory note rather than flagging a specific rival philosophical doctrine, since this is primarily an OT-Temple-background point.
Son of God (centurion’s confession) — υἱὸς θεοῦ (15:39). Reuse baseline exactly: परमेश्वरस्य पुत्रः. Risk Critical (per baseline); narratively significant as a Gentile’s (a Roman centurion’s) confession, echoing the “Unity of Jews and Gentiles” doctrine from the Romans package.

Chapter 16 — The Resurrection, the Great Commission

resurrection / raised — ἠγέρθη (ēgerthē, from ἐγείρω) (16:6, “He is not here; he has risen”). Reuse baseline exactly: पुनरुत्थानम् (noun) / verb forms built on the same root. Risk Critical (per baseline “resurrection” entry) — पुनर्जन्म remains permanently forbidden.
gospel (proclaim to all creation) — τὸ εὐαγγέλιον (16:15, in the longer ending). Reuse baseline exactly: सुसमाचारः. Risk High (per baseline).
(No further new theological vocabulary in chapter 16 beyond terms already established in chapters 1, 8, and the core passage; the empty tomb narrative (κενός τάφος) is a narrative detail rather than a distinct theological term requiring separate glossary treatment.)

This document should be read together with analysis/08_core_glossary.md, which consolidates every term introduced above into a single per-term reference table with final risk assignments.

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