आर्ता निपेतुः सहसा पृथिव्यां कुरुनन्दन। सर्वाश्च गर्भानलबंस्ततस्ताः पार्थिवाङ्गनाः
Afflicted, they suddenly fell to the ground, O descendant of Kuru; and all those royal women conceived from the fire of pregnancy.
ततो दशसु मासेषु सोमकस्य विशांपते। जज्ञे पुत्रशतं पूर्णं तासु सर्वासु भारत
Then, after ten months, O lord of the people, a full hundred sons were born to Somaka from all those women, O Bharata.
जन्तुर्ज्येष्ठः समभवज्जनित्र्यामेव पूर्ववत्। स तासामिष्ट एवासीन्न तथाऽन्ये निजाः सुताः
The eldest offspring was born from the mother, just as before; he alone was cherished among them, not so the other sons.
तच्च लक्षणमस्यासीत्सौवर्णं पार्श्व उत्तरे। तस्मिन्पुत्रशते चाग्र्यः स बभूव गुणैरपि
He bore a golden mark on his northern side; among the hundred sons, he excelled in virtues as well.
ततः स लोकमगमत्सोमकस्य गुरुः परम्। अन्वक्षमेव पश्चात्तु सोमकोप्यगमत्परम्
Then, the revered teacher of Somaka departed to the other world; soon after, Somaka too went to the highest realm.
अथ तं नरके घोरे पच्यमानं ददर्श सः। तमपृच्छत्किमर्थं त्वं नरके पच्यसे द्विज
There, he saw his teacher suffering in a dreadful hell; he asked him, 'For what reason are you being tormented in hell, O twice-born?'
तमब्रवीद्गुरुः सोऽथ पच्यमानोऽग्निना भृशम्। त्वं मया याजितो राजंस्तस्येदं कर्मणः फलम्
While being intensely burned by fire, the teacher replied, 'You had me perform a sacrifice, O king; this is the result of that act.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा स राजर्षिर्धर्मराजमथाब्रवीत्। अहमत्र प्रवेक्ष्यामि मुच्यतां मम याजकः
Hearing this, the royal sage addressed the Lord of Justice: 'I will enter here; let my priest be released.'
मत्कृते हि महाभागः पच्यते नरकाग्निना। `सोहमात्मानमाधास्ये नरके मुच्यतां गुरुः
For my sake, O illustrious one, he is being burned by the fire of hell; therefore, I shall place myself in hell—let the teacher be freed.
नान्य कर्तुः फलं राजन्नुपभुङ्क्ते कदाचन। इमानि तव दृश्यन्ते फलानि वदतांवर
No one else ever partakes of the fruit of another's action, O king; these are your own results, best of speakers.
पुण्यान्न कामये लोकानृतेऽहं ब्रह्मवादिनम्। इच्छाम्यहमननैव सह वस्तुं सुरालये
I do not desire heavenly worlds gained by merit if I must abandon the knower of Brahman; I wish only to dwell together with him in the abode of the gods.
नरके वा धर्मराज कर्मणाऽस्य समो ह्यहम्। पुण्यापुण्यफलं देव सममस्त्वावयोरिदम्
Whether in hell, O Lord of Justice, or by his deeds, I am his equal; let the fruit of merit and demerit be the same for both of us, O god.
यद्येवमीप्सितं राजन्भुङ्खास्य सहितः फलम्। तुल्यकालं सहानेन पश्चात्प्राप्स्यसि सद्गतिम्
If this is your wish, O king, then enjoy the result together with him; after an equal period with him, you will attain the highest state.
स चकार तथा सर्वं राजा राजीवलोचनः। क्षीणपापश्च तस्मात्स विमुक्तो गुरुणा सह
The lotus-eyed king did exactly so; freed from sin, he was released together with his teacher.
लेभे कामाञ्शुभान्राजन्कर्मणा निर्जितान्स्वयम्। सह तेनैव विप्रेण गुरुणा स गुरुप्रियः
By his own deeds, the king attained all auspicious desires, together with that Brahmin teacher, for he was devoted to his guru.
एष तस्याश्रमः पुण्यो य एषोग्रे विराजते। क्षान्त उष्यात्र षड्रात्रं प्राप्नोति सुगतिं नरः
This is the sacred hermitage of that one, which shines here in its greatness; whoever stays here for six nights attains a blessed state.
एतस्मिन्नपि राजेन्द्र वत्स्यामो विगतज्वराः। षड्रात्रं नियतात्मानः स़ज्जीभव कुरूद्वह
Let us also, O king of kings, dwell here free from distress; with self-restraint, remain here for six nights, O best of the Kurus.
सोमकस्याश्रमे पुण्ये धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। षड्रात्रमुष्य नियतो भ्रात्रादिभिररिंदमः। तस्मान्निर्गम्य सहसा दिशं प्रायात्तथोत्तराम्
In the holy hermitage of Somaka, the righteous king Yudhishthira, steadfast with his brothers and others, stayed for six nights; then, departing from there, he swiftly went northward.
बहुदूरं ततो गत्वा वनं तत्र मनोहरम्। बहुपष्पफलाकीर्णं महानद्युपशोभितम्
After traveling a great distance, they came to a delightful forest, filled with many flowers and fruits, and adorned by a great river.
दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ राजाऽसौ लोमशं मुनिसत्तमम्। किमिदं दृश्यते रम्यं वनं बहुमृगद्विजम्
Seeing it, the king asked the eminent sage Lomasha, 'What is this charming forest, filled with many beasts and birds?'
बहुपुष्पफलोपेतं मुनिसङ्घैर्निषेवितम्। स्रवन्त्या च समायुक्तं महत्या पुण्यतोयया
Adorned with many flowers and fruits, frequented by groups of sages, and joined by a great, sacred stream of water.
ऋषीणामाश्रमाः पुण्या दृश्यन्ते विविधा मुने। कस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यः कस्येमे मुनयोऽमलाः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं वद त्वं वदतांवर
O sage, various holy hermitages of the seers are seen here. Whose is this sacred hermitage, and who are these pure ascetics? I wish to hear this; tell me, best of speakers.
शृणु राजेनद्र भद्रं ते वनस्यास्य पुरातनम्। वृत्तान्तं निखिलेनाद्य प्रोच्यमानं मयाऽनघ
Listen, O king, may auspiciousness be yours, to the ancient account of this forest, which I shall now narrate to you in full, O blameless one.
मृकण्डुपुत्रो मेधावी मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः। बाल एव महाबुद्धिः सर्वविद्याविशारदः
The wise Markandeya, son of Mrikandu, a great sage, possessed profound intellect even as a child and was skilled in all branches of knowledge.
मातापित्रोः प्रियं कुर्वंस्तपोर्थं वनमाविशत्। अत्राश्रमपदं कृत्वा तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्
Seeking to please his parents and fulfill the purpose of austerity, he entered the forest, established a hermitage there, and undertook severe penance.
ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षास्वाकाशसंश्रयः। जलस्थः शिशिरे योगी बहुकालमवर्तत
In summer, he practiced the fivefold austerity; in the rains, he remained under the open sky; in winter, the yogi stayed in water for a long time.
ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बः पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठितः। जितेन्द्रियो जितप्राणश्चिन्तयन्दृढमव्ययम्। अनाहारो जितक्रोधश्चिरमेवमवर्तत
With arms raised, unsupported, standing on the tips of his toes, mastering his senses and breath, contemplating firmly on the imperishable, fasting and subduing anger, he remained thus for a long time.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजन्ननावृष्टिः सुदारुणा। संभूता सर्वसंहर्त्री तया दग्धं चराचरम्
Meanwhile, O king, a terrible drought arose, destroying all living and non-living things.
अनावृष्ट्यां प्रवृत्तायां सर्वे च निधनं गताः। केचिदन्ये महात्मानो मुनयो द्विजपुङ्गवाः
When the drought prevailed, all perished; yet some great-souled ascetics, foremost among twice-born, survived.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्रा सर्वाश्च योषितः। पशुपक्षिमृगाः सर्वे क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलाः। कृशाः शुष्कोष्ठकण्ठाश्च श्रान्ता भ्रान्ता विचेतसः
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, all women, and all cattle, birds, and wild animals, afflicted by hunger and thirst, emaciated, with dry throats, exhausted, wandering, and bewildered.