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.
प्रणम्योत्थाय सहसा बद्धाञ्जलिपुटो मुनिः। तुष्टाव विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्महादेवं जगत्पतिम्
Having bowed, the sage rose swiftly, palms joined in reverence, and praised Mahadeva, the Lord of the universe, with various hymns.
तमुवाच महादेवो मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम्। वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोस्मि मुने तव
Then Mahadeva spoke to Markandeya, the great sage: 'Choose a boon, blessed one; I am the giver of boons to you, O sage.'
एवं संबोधितस्तेन शिवेन परमात्मना। सगद्गदमिदं वाक्यमुवाच परमेश्वरम्
Thus addressed by Shiva, the Supreme Self, the sage, his voice choked with emotion, spoke these words to the Supreme Lord:
नान्यं वरं वृणे शंभो ---त्वत्पादपङ्कजे। भक्तिंह्यनन्यसुलभां स्व व्यभिचारिणीम्
'I choose no other boon, O Shambhu, but devotion—rare and unwavering—at your lotus feet.'
एवमुक्तोऽथ मुनिना भरतगीश्वरेश्वरः। पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वाक्यं मार्कण्डेय महामुनिम्
Thus addressed by the sage, the Lord of the Bharatas and the Lord of lords again spoke these words to Markandeya, the great sage:
सम्यगाराधितः पित्रा तव पुत्रार्थमादरात्
'Your father worshipped me properly, with great care, for the sake of a son.'
शतायुर्निर्गुणः पुत्रः शुभः षोडशवार्षिकः। उभयोरन्यमिच्छ त्वमित्युक्तः सोऽब्रवीच्च माम्
'A son was offered—long-lived, without qualities, auspicious, and sixteen years old. Or, choose another as you wish,' he was told, and he replied to me thus.
निर्गुणो मास्तु देवेश शतायुः षोडशाब्दकः। सुगुणोऽस्तु सुतो मेऽद्य इति पित्रावृत पुरा
'Let my son not be without qualities, O Lord of gods, nor long-lived for only sixteen years; let my son today be virtuous,' so your father requested long ago.
त्वया तप्तेन तपसा तोषितोऽहं भृशं मुने। दीर्घमायुर्मया दत्तं मृत्युश्च प्रतिषेधितः
'By your austerities, O sage, I have been greatly pleased; I have granted you long life and have restrained death.'
इत्युक्त्वा भगवानीशस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। तस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यस्तस्येमे मुनयोऽमलाः
Having spoken thus, the blessed Lord vanished there itself. This is his sacred hermitage, and these are his pure sages.