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.
केनचित्पुण्यशेषेण मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमतः। आश्रमं शनकैः प्राप्ता मूर्च्छिताः सहसाऽपतन्
By some remnant of merit, they slowly reached the hermitage of the wise Markandeya, collapsing suddenly in a faint.
समाधिविरतो योगी मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः। तद्वनं निबिडं दृष्ट्वा जनैः क्षुत्तृट्समाकलैः
Markandeya, the yogi of great austerity, withdrawn in meditation, saw that dense forest filled with people afflicted by hunger and thirst.
दयार्द्रहृदयो योगी शिवं ध्यात्वा हृदम्बुजे। तेषां संरक्षणार्थाय वेदगन्धिस्वरेण सः। आजुहाव तदा गङ्गां तपोयोगेन भारत
His heart softened with compassion, the yogi, meditating on Shiva in the lotus of his heart, for their protection, invoked the Ganga with the sound of Vedic chants and the power of austerity, O Bharata.
गङ्गा समागता शीघ्रं तेनाहूताऽतिपावना। नाम्ना वेदनदीत्येव प्रख्याता लोकपावना
The Ganga, most pure, swiftly arrived when summoned by him, renowned as Vedanadi, purifier of the worlds.
पर्जन्यश्च समाहूतः सुखं वर्षति भारत। सस्यानि च समृद्धानि फलमूलान्यनेकशः। संभूतान्यत्रराजेनद्र सर्वे ते रक्षिता जनाः
The rain-god was also invoked, and he poured down gently, O Bharata. The crops flourished, fruits and roots appeared in abundance. All those people were protected there, O king.
मार्कण्डेयं प्रशंसन्तो जनाः सर्वे द्विजात्तयः। चिरं सुखमवर्तन्त तेन संरक्षिता नृप
All the people, praising Markandeya, the three classes of twice-born, lived happily for a long time, protected by him, O ruler.
एवं विधाय रक्षां स सर्वेषां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। पुनश्चचार च तपः परमेश्वरतुष्टये
Having thus provided protection for all the virtuous, he again practiced austerity to please the Supreme Lord.
एवं बहुतिथे काले प्रादुरासीन्महेश्वरः
After a long time, Maheshvara manifested.
दृष्ट्वा च सर्वदेवेशं चन्द्रमौलिमुमापतिम्। ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादिभिर्देवैः सिद्धविद्याधरोरगैः
Seeing the Lord of all the gods, the moon-crested consort of Uma, surrounded by Brahma, Vishnu, and other deities, as well as Siddhas, Vidyadharas, and Nagas,
गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरैः सकिन्नरपतत्रिभिः। स्तूयमानं महादेवमव्ययं निष्कलं शिवम्। प्रणनाम मुनिर्भक्त्या साष्टाङ्गं च पुनः पुनः
And by the foremost Gandharvas and Yakshas, together with Kinnaras and kings, being praised—the great, imperishable, partless, auspicious Mahadeva—the sage bowed down with devotion, repeatedly prostrating himself with all eight limbs.