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Markandeya, the yogi of great austerity, withdrawn in meditation, saw that dense forest filled with people afflicted by hunger and thirst.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.
अत्रैकरात्रमुषिताः सर्वे मृत्युं तरन्ति वै। अत्रैव भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रयतो वस भूमिप
All who dwell here for a single night surely transcend death. Therefore, best of the Bharatas, remain here with discipline, O king.
अस्मिन्किल स्वयं राजन्निष्टवान्वै प्रजापतिः। सत्रमिष्टीकृतं नाम पुरा वर्षसहस्रिकम्
Here, O king, it is said that the Lord of creatures himself once performed a thousand-year sacrifice called the Istikrita.
अम्बरीषश्च नाभाग इष्टवान्यमुनामनु। यत्रेष्ट्वा दशपद्मानि सदस्येभ्योऽभिसृष्टवान्
And Ambarisha, son of Nabha, also performed a sacrifice here; after completing it, he distributed ten golden lotuses to the assembly.
यज्ञैश्च तपसा चैव परां सिद्धिमवाप सः। देशश्च नाहुषस्यायं य़ज्वनः पुण्यकर्मणः
Through sacrifices and austerities, he attained the highest success. This is the land of Nahusha, the righteous sacrificer.
सार्वभौमस्य कौन्तेय ययातेरमितौजसः। स्पर्धमानस्य शक्रेण तस्येदं यज्ञवास्त्विह
This is the sacrificial ground of Yayati, son of Kunti, sovereign of all, whose immeasurable energy rivaled that of Indra.
पश्य नानाविधाकारैरग्निभिर्निचितां महीम्। मज्जन्तीमिव चाक्रान्तां ययातेर्यज्ञकर्मभिः
Behold this earth, covered with various kinds of sacrificial fires, as if submerged and overtaken by the sacrificial acts of Yayati.
एषा शम्येकपत्रा सा शकटं चैतदुत्तमम्। पश्य रामह्रदानेतान्पश्य नारायणाश्रमम्
Here is the sham tree with its single leaf, and this is the excellent cart. Behold the lakes of Rama, and see the hermitage of Narayana.
एतच्चर्चीकपुत्रस्य योगैर्विचरतो महीम्। प्रसर्पणं महीपाल रौप्यायाममितौजसः
This is the path traversed by the son of Carcika, wandering the earth through his yogic powers, O ruler, with immeasurable strength, upon the silver ground.
अत्रानुवंशं पठतः शृणु मे कुरुनन्दन। उलूखलैराभरणैः पिशची यदभाषत
Here, as the genealogy is recited, listen to me, descendant of Kuru. The demoness spoke about mortars and ornaments.
युगन्धरे दधि प्राश्य उषित्वा चाच्युतस्थले। तद्वद्भूतलये स्नात्वा सपुत्रा वस्तुमर्हसि
Having eaten curd at Yugandhara and stayed at the place of Achyuta, in the same way, after bathing at the abode on earth, you should reside here with your sons.