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.
विनयेनाञ्जलिं कृत्वाप्रयत्नेनोपगम्य ह। दृष्टो मया स भूतात्मा देवः कमललोचनः
With reverence, joining my palms, I approached him with care; I beheld that lord, the soul of all beings, with lotus-like eyes.
तमहं प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा नमस्कृत्येदमब्रवम्। ज्ञातुमिच्छामि देव त्वां मायां चैतां तवोत्तमाम्
Becoming reverent, joining my hands, I bowed and said: "O god, I wish to know you and this supreme illusion of yours."
आस्येनानुप्रविष्टोऽहं शरीरे भगवंस्तव। दृष्टवानखिलाँल्लोकान्समस्तान्जठरे हि ते
O venerable one, having entered your body through your mouth, I beheld all the worlds entirely within your belly.
तव देव शरीरस्था देवदानवराक्षसाः। यक्षगन्धर्वनागाश्च जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
Within your body, O god, are the gods, asuras, and rākṣasas, as well as yakṣas, gandharvas, nāgas, and all that is stationary and moving in the universe.
त्वत्प्रसादाच्च मे देव स्मृतिर्न परिहीयते। द्रुतमन्तःशरीरे ते सततं परिवर्तिनः
And by your grace, O god, my memory does not fail; swiftly, within your ever-revolving body, I have seen all.
निर्गतोऽहमकामस्तु इच्छया ते महाप्रभो। यतिष्ये पुण्डरीकाक्ष ज्ञातुं त्वाऽहमनिन्दितं
Unwillingly, yet by your will, O great lord, I have come out; O lotus-eyed one, I will strive to know you, the blameless one.
इह भूत्वा शिशुः साक्षात्किं भवानवतिष्ठते। पीत्वा जगदिदं सर्वमेतदाख्यातुमर्हसि
Why do you, having become a child here in person, remain thus, after having swallowed this entire world? You ought to explain this.
किमर्थं च जगत्सर्वं शरीरस्थं तवानघ। कियन्तं च त्वया कालमिह स्थेयमरिंदम
For what purpose, O sinless one, is the whole world situated in your body? And for how long, O subduer of foes, will you remain here?
एतदिच्छामि देवेश श्रोतुं ब्राह्मणकाम्यया। त्वत्तः कमलपत्राक्षं विस्तरेण यथातथम्। महद्ध्येतदचिन्त्यं च यदहं दृष्टवान्प्रभो
This I wish to hear, O lord of gods, out of desire for knowledge as a brāhmaṇa, from you, O lotus-eyed one, in detail and truthfully; for what I have seen, O lord, is truly great and inconceivable.
इत्युक्तः स मया श्रीमान्देवदेवो महाद्युतिः। सान्त्वयन्मामिदं वाक्यमुवाच वदतांवरः
Thus addressed by me, the illustrious god of gods, radiant and supreme among speakers, comforted me and spoke these words.