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.
एकरात्रमुवित्वेह द्वितीयं यदि वत्स्यसि। एतद्वै ते गदेवावृत्तं रात्रौ वृत्तमितोऽन्यथा
If you stay here for one night, and if you remain for a second, then this will be your divine event; otherwise, something different will happen tonight.
अद्य चात्र निवत्स्यामः क्षपां भरतसत्तम। द्वारमेतत्तु कौन्तेय कुरुक्षेत्रस्य भारत
Today, let us stay here for the night, O best of Bharatas. This, O son of Kunti, is the gateway to Kurukshetra, O Bharata.
अत्रैव नाहुषो राजा राजन्क्रतुभिरिष्टवान्। ययातिर्बहुरत्नौर्घर्यत्रेन्द्रो मुदमभ्यगात्
Here, King Nahusha performed sacrifices, O king. Yayati, possessing many precious gems, brought joy to Indra.
एतत्प्लक्षावतरणं यमुनातीर्थमुत्तमम्। एतद्वै नाकपृष्ठस्य द्वारमाहुर्मनीषिणः
This is the crossing of the Plaksha tree, the excellent Yamuna ford. The wise declare this to be the gateway to the summit of heaven.
अत्रसारस्वतैर्यज्ञैरीजानाः परमर्षयः। यूपोलूखलिकास्तात गच्छन्त्यवभृथप्लवम्
Here, the great sages performed sacrifices with Sarasvati. The posts and mortars, O dear one, proceed to the bath after the ritual.
अत्रवै भरतो राजा राजन्क्रतुभिरिष्टवान्। हयमेधेन यज्ञेन मेध्यमश्वमवासृजत्
Here, King Bharata performed sacrifices, O king. Through the horse sacrifice, he released the consecrated horse.
असकृत्कृष्णसारङ्गं धर्मेणाप्य च मेदिनीम्। अत्रैव पुरुषव्याघ्र मरुत्तः सत्रमुत्तमम्। प्राप चैवर्षिमुख्येन संवर्तेनाभिपालितः
Many times, Marutta, the tiger among men, governed the earth with righteousness and the black deer. Here, he attained the excellent sacrifice, protected by the foremost sage Samvarta.
अत्रोपस्पृश्य राजेन्द्र सर्वाल्लोँकान्प्रपश्यति। पूयते दुष्कृताच्चैव अत्रापि समुपस्पृश
Here, after touching the water, O king, one beholds all worlds. One is purified from sins; here too, you should touch the water.
तत्र सभ्रातृकः स्नात्वा स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः। लोमशं पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
There, having bathed with his brothers and praised by the great sages, the foremost Pandava spoke these words to Lomasha.
सर्वाँल्लोकान्प्रपश्यामि तपसा सत्यविक्रम। इहस्तः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठं पश्यामि श्वेतवाहनम्
I behold all worlds through asceticism and true valor. Here, O foremost Pandava, I see the white-horsed one.