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.
नदीं ताम्रां च वेणां च पुण्यतोयां शुभावहाम्। सुवेणां कृष्णवेणां च इरामां च महानदीम्
I saw the Tamra and the Vena rivers, whose waters are holy and auspicious; the Suvena, the Krishna-Vena, and the great river Irama.
वितस्तां च महाराज कावेरीं च महानदीम्। `तुङ्गभद्रां कृष्णवेणीं कमलां च महानदीम्'। शोणं च पुरुषव्याघ्र विशल्यां किंपुनामपि
I saw the Vitasta, O great king, and the great river Kaveri; the Tungabhadra, the Krishna-Veni, the great river Kamala, the Shona, O tiger among men, the Vishalya, and the Kimpuna as well.
एताश्चान्याश्च नद्योऽहं पृथिव्यां या नरोत्तम। परिक्रामन्प्रपश्यामि तस्य कुक्षौ महात्मनः
And, O best of men, as I wandered, I saw these and other rivers that exist on earth, within the belly of that great soul.
ततः समुद्रं पश्मामि यादोगणनिषेवितम्। रत्नाकरममित्रघ्न पयसोनिधिमुत्तमम्
Then I beheld the ocean, frequented by hosts of aquatic creatures, the treasure-house of gems, the supreme reservoir of waters, O destroyer of foes.
ततः पश्यामि गगनं चन्द्रसूर्यविराजितम्। जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभिः पावकार्कसमप्रभम्
Then I saw the sky, adorned by the moon and sun, blazing with radiance, shining like fire and the sun.
पश्यामि च महीं राजन्काननैरुपशोभिताम्। `सपर्वतवनद्वीपां निम्नगाशतसंकुलाम्
O king, I saw the earth adorned with forests, mountains, and islands, crowded with hundreds of rivers.
यजन्ते हि ततो राजन्ब्राह्मणा बहुभिर्मखैः। क्षत्रियाश् प्रवर्तन्ते सर्ववर्णानुरञ्जनैः
There, O king, Brahmanas perform many sacrifices, and Kshatriyas engage in acts that delight all the orders.
वैश्याः कृषिं यथान्यायं कारयन्ति नराधिप। शुश्रूषायां च निरता द्विजानां वृषलास्तथा
Vaishyas carry out agriculture according to law, O lord of men, and Shudras are devoted to serving the twice-born.
ततः परिपतन्राजंस्तस्य कुक्षौ महात्मनः। हिमवन्तं च पश्यामि हेमकूटं च पर्वतम्
Then, as I moved about within the belly of that great soul, O king, I saw the Himalaya and the golden-peaked Hemakuta mountain.
निषधं चापि पश्यामि श्वेतं च रजतान्वितम्। पश्यामि च महीपाल पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्
I saw the Nishadha and the white Rajata mountains; and, O protector of the earth, I saw the Gandhamadana mountain.