केचिन्नीलोत्पलश्यामाः केचित्कुमुदसन्निभाः। केचित्किञ्जल्कसंकाशाः केचित्पीताः पयोधराः
Some are dark like blue lotuses, some resemble white water lilies, some are like pollen, and some are yellow like rain-bearing clouds.
केचिद्धारिद्रसंकाशाः कारण्डवनिभास्तथा। केचित्कमलपत्राभाः केचिद्धिङ्गुलसप्रभाः
Some are like turmeric, some resemble ducks, some have the hue of lotus petals, and some shine like red arsenic.
केचित्पुरवराकाराः केचिद्गजकुलोपमाः। केचिदञ्जनसंकाशाः केचिन्मकरसन्निभाः
Some are shaped like city fortresses, some resemble herds of elephants, some are dark like collyrium, and some are like crocodiles.
विद्युन्मालापिनद्धाङ्गाः समुत्तिष्ठन्ति वै घनाः। घोररूपा महाराज घोरस्वननिनादिताः
Clouds, their bodies bound with garlands of lightning, rise up, O king, terrifying in form and resounding with dreadful noise.
ततो जलघराः सर्वं व्याप्नुवनति नभस्तलम्। `गर्जन्तः पृथिवीपाल पृथिवीधरसन्निभाः
Then, the rain clouds, covering the entire sky, roar, O protector of the earth, resembling the mountains of the earth.
तैरियं पृथिवी सर्वा सपर्वतवनाकरा। आपूर्यते महाराज सलिलौघपरिप्लुता
By them, O great king, the whole earth, with its mountains, forests, and lakes, is filled and flooded by torrents of water.
ततस्ते जलदा घोरा राविणः पुरुषर्षभ। पर्वतान्प्लावयन्त्याशु चोदिताः परमेष्ठिना
Then those fierce, thunderous clouds, O best of men, urged by the supreme lord, quickly inundate the mountains.
वर्षमाणा महत्तोयं पूरयन्तो वसुंधराम्। सुघोरमशिवं रौद्रं नाशयनति च पावकम्
Pouring forth great waters and flooding the earth, they destroy the fire, terrifying, inauspicious, and fierce.
ततो द्वादशवर्षाणि पयोदास्त उपप्लवे। धाराभिः पूरयन्तो वै चोद्यमाना महात्मना
Then, for twelve years, the clouds poured down torrents of rain, driven on by the great soul.
ततः समुद्रः स्वां वेलामतिक्रामति भारत। पर्वताश्च विदीर्यन्ते मही चापि विदीर्यते
After that, O Bharata, the ocean overflows its shores, mountains are rent asunder, and the earth itself is split.
सर्वतः सहसा भ्रान्तास्ते पयोदा नभस्तलम्। संवेष्टयित्वा नश्यन्ति वायुवेगपराहताः
Suddenly, those clouds, whirling everywhere, envelop the sky and are destroyed, struck by the force of the wind.
कततस्तं मारुतं घोरं स्वयंभूर्मनुजाधिप। आदिः पद्मालयो देवः पीत्वा स्वपिति भारत
Then, O king of men, the Self-born Lord, the god whose abode is the lotus, drinks in that terrible wind and sleeps.
तस्मिन्नेकार्णवे घोरे नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे। नष्टे देवासुरगणए यक्षराक्षसवर्जिते
In that dreadful single ocean, with all that is moving and unmoving destroyed, with gods, asuras, yakshas, and rakshasas gone,
निर्मनुष्ये महीपाल निःश्वापदमहीरुहे। अनन्तरिक्षे लोकेऽस्मिन्भ्रमाम्येकोऽहमातुरः
With no humans, O protector of the earth, no beasts or trees, in that world without sky, I wandered alone, afflicted.
एकार्णवे जले घोरे विचरन्पार्थिवोत्तम। अपश्यन्सर्वभूतानि वैक्लब्यमगमं ततः
Roaming in that terrible, single ocean, O best of kings, seeing no living beings, I fell into despair.
ततः सुदीर्घं गत्वाऽहं प्लवमानो धराधिप। श्रान्तः क्वचिन्न शरणं लब्धवानस्म्यतन्द्रितः
Then, after journeying for a very long time, floating, O lord of the earth, weary but ever alert, I found no refuge anywhere.
ततः कदाचित्पश्यामि तस्मिन्सलिलसंनिघौ। न्यग्रोधं सुमहान्तं वै विशालं पृथिवीपते
Then, at some moment, I saw, near those waters, a great and vast banyan tree, O king.
शाखायां तस्य वृक्षस्य विस्तीर्णायां नराधिप। पर्यङ्के पृथिवीपाल दिव्यास्तरणसंस्तृते
On a broad branch of that tree, O ruler of men, there was a couch spread with divine coverings.
उपविष्टं महाराज पद्मेन्दुसदृशाननम्। फुल्लपद्मविशालाक्षं बालं पश्यामि भारत
Seated there, O great king, I saw a child with a face like the moon and lotus, with wide eyes like blossoming lotuses.
ततो मे पृतिवीपाल विस्मयः सुमहाभूत्। कथं त्वयं शिशुः शेते लोके नाशमुपागते
Then, O protector of the earth, I was struck with great wonder: how does this child lie here, when the world has perished?
तपसा चिन्तयंश्चापि तं शिशुं नोपलक्षये। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च जानन्नपि नराधिप
Though I pondered on that child with ascetic power, O king, I could not discern him, even though I know the past, present, and future.
अतसीपुष्पवर्णाभः श्रीवत्सकृतभूषणः। साक्षाल्लक्ष्म्या इवावास स तदा प्रतिभाति मे
He appeared to me as adorned with the mark of Srivatsa, his complexion like the atasi flower, as if Lakshmi herself dwelled there.
ततो मामब्रवीद्बालः स पद्मनिभलोचनः। श्रीवत्सधारी द्युतिमान्वाक्यं श्रुतिसुखावहम्
Then that child, with lotus-like eyes, bearing the Srivatsa, radiant, spoke to me words that were pleasing to hear.
जानामि त्वां परिश्रान्तं तात विश्रामकाङ्क्षिणम्। मार्कण्डेय महासत्वं यावदिच्छसि भार्गव
I know you are weary and seeking rest, O Markandeya of great soul; remain here as long as you wish, O Bhargava.
अभ्यन्तरं शरीरं मे प्रविश्य मुनिसत्तम। आस्खेह विहितो वासः प्रसादस्ते कृतो मया
Enter into my body, O best of sages, and dwell here; I have granted you this favor by my grace.
ततो बालेन तेनैव मुक्तस्यासीत्तदा मम। निर्वेदो जीविते दीर्घे मनुष्यत्वे च भारत
Then, by that child, I was freed from all weariness for life and for the long existence of mankind, O Bharata.
ततो बालेन तेनास्यं सहसा विवृतं कृतम्। तस्याहमवशो वक्रे दैवयोगात्प्रवेशितः
Then, that child suddenly opened his mouth, and by the force of fate, I was helplessly drawn into his curved mouth.
ततः प्रविष्टस्तत्कुक्षिं सहसा मनुजाधिप। सराष्ट्रनगराकीर्णां कृत्स्नां पश्यामि मेदिनीम्
O king of men, having entered his belly at once, I beheld the entire earth, filled with cities and kingdoms.
गङ्गां शतद्रुं सीतां च यमुनामथ कौशिकीम्। चर्मण्वतींवेत्रवतीं चन्द्रभागां सरस्वतीम्
I saw the Ganga, the Shatadru, the Sita, the Yamuna, and the Kaushiki; the Charmavati, the Vetravati, the Chandrabhaga, and the Sarasvati.
सिन्धुं चैव विपाशां च नदीं गोदावरीमपि। वस्वोकसारां नलिनीं नर्मदां चैव भारत
I saw the Sindhu and the Vipasha rivers, and also the Godavari; the Vasvokasara, the Nalini, and the Narmada, O Bharata.