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.
मन्दरं मनुजव्याघ्र नीलं चापि महागिरिम्। पश्यामि च महाराज मेरु कनकपर्वतम्
O tiger among men, I saw Mandara and the great blue mountain; and, O great king, I saw Meru, the golden mountain.
महेन्द्रं चैव पश्यामि विन्ध्यं च गिरिमुत्तमम्। मलयं चापि पश्यामि पारियात्रं च पर्वतम्
I saw Mahendra and the excellent Vindhya mountain, and I also saw Malaya and the Pariyatra mountain.
एते चान्ये च बहवो यावन्तः पृथिवीधराः। तस्योदरे मया दृष्टाः सर्वे रत्नविभूषिताः
All these and many other mountains that uphold the earth, adorned with jewels, I saw within his belly.
सिंहान्व्याघ्रान्वराहांश्च पश्यामि मनुजाधिप। पृथिव्यां यानि चान्यानि सत्त्वानि जगतीपते। तानि सर्वाण्यहं तत्र पश्यन्पर्यचरं तदा
O king of men, I saw lions, tigers, and boars, and all other creatures that exist on earth; seeing all these, I wandered there at that time.
कुक्षौ तस् नरव्याघ्र प्रविष्टः संचरन्दिशः। शक्रादींश्चापि पश्यामि कृत्स्नान्देवगणानहम्
O tiger among men, having entered his belly, I move about in all directions; I also see all the hosts of gods, including Indra and the others.
साध्यान्रुद्रांस्तथाऽऽदित्यान्गुह्यकान्पितरस्तथा। सर्पान्नागान्सुपर्णांश्च वसूनप्यश्विनावपि
I see the Sādhyas, Rudras, Ādityas, Guhyakas, Pitṛs, serpents, Nāgas, Suparṇas, Vasus, and the Aśvins as well.
गन्धर्वाप्सरसो यक्षानृषींश्चैव महीपते। दैत्यदानवसङ्घांश्च नागांश्च मनुजाधिप
I see Gandharvas, Apsarases, Yakṣas, and also the seers, O king, as well as the hosts of Daityas and Dānavas, and Nāgas, O lord of men.
सिंहिकातनयांश्चापि ये चान्ये सुरशत्रवः। यच्च किंचिन्मया लोके दृष्टं स्थावरजङ्गमम्
I see the sons of Siṃhikā and other enemies of the gods, and whatever else, moving or unmoving, I have seen in the world.
सर्वं पश्याम्यहं राजंस्तस्य कुक्षौ महात्मनः। त्वरमाणः फलाहारः कृत्स्नं जगदिदं विभो
O king, I see all of this within the belly of that great soul, who, hastening to eat fruit, contains this entire world, O mighty one.
अन्तःशरीरे तस्याहं वर्षाणामधिकं शतम्। न च पश्यामि यस्याहं देहस्यान्तं कदाचन
Within his body I remained for more than a hundred years, yet I never saw the end of that body at any time.
सततं धावमानश्च चिन्तयानो विशांपते। `भ्रमंस्तत्र महीपाल यदा वर्षगणान्बहून्'। आसादयामि नैवान्तं तस्य राजन्महात्मनः
Constantly running and reflecting, O lord of men, I wandered there for many years, yet, O king, I never reached the end of that great soul.
ततस्तमेव शरणं गतोस्मि विधिवत्तदा। वरेण्यं वरदं देवं मनसा कर्मणैव च
Then, in accordance with the proper way, I took refuge in him alone— that worthy, boon-giving god— with my mind and with my actions.
ततोऽहं सहसा राजन्वायुवेगेन निःसृतः। महात्मनो मुखात्तस्य विवृतात्पुरुषोत्तम
Then, O king, I was suddenly cast out by a gust of wind from the open mouth of that great soul, the supreme person.
ततस्तस्यैव शाखायां न्यग्रोधस्य विशांपते। आस्ते मनुजशार्दूल कृत्स्नमादाय वै जगत्
Then, O lord of men, on a branch of that very banyan tree, O tiger among men, he sits, having taken in the entire world.
ते नैव बालवेषेण श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणम्। आसीनं तं नरव्याघ्र पश्याम्यमिततेजसम्
O tiger among men, I saw him sitting there, not in the form of a child, marked with the Śrīvatsa and other signs, possessed of immeasurable brilliance.
ततो मामब्रवीद्बालः स प्रीतः प्रहसन्निव। श्रीवत्सधारी द्युतिमान्पीतवासा महाद्युतिः
Then that radiant child, bearing the Śrīvatsa, clad in yellow garments, of great splendor, spoke to me, delighted and smiling.
अपीदानीं शरीरेऽस्मिन्मामके मुनिसत्तम। उषितस्त्वं परिश्रान्तो मार्कण्डेय ब्रवीहि मे
"O best of sages, have you now dwelt, weary, within this my body? Tell me, Mārkaṇḍeya."
मुहूर्तादथ मे दृष्टिः प्रादुर्भूता पुनर्नवा। मायानिर्मुक्तमात्मनमपश्यं लब्धचेतसम्
Then, after a moment, my vision became clear and new again; I saw him, freed from illusion, with mind restored.
तस्य ताम्रतलौ तात चरणौ सुप्रतिष्ठितौ। सुजातौ मृदुरक्ताभिरङ्गुलीभिर्विराजितौ
O dear one, his feet were coppery and well-formed, firmly set, beautiful, adorned with soft, reddish toes.
प्रयत्नेन मया मूर्ध्ना गृहीत्वा ह्यभिवनदितौ। दृष्ट्वाऽपरिमितं तस् प्रभावममितौजसः
With effort I took those feet with my head and embraced them, beholding the immeasurable power of that one of boundless energy.