तेषु स्नानं च दानं च वाजपेयाधिकं मतम् विशेषतस् तु गङ्गायाः परुष्ण्या सह संगमे
Bathing and giving gifts at those places is considered superior even to the Vājapeya sacrifice, especially at the confluence of the Ganges and Paruṣṇī.
स्नानदानादिभिः पुण्यं यत् तद् वक्तुं न शक्यते
The merit gained from bathing, giving gifts, and similar acts there cannot be fully described.
मार्कण्डेयं नाम तीर्थं सर्वपापविमोचनम् सर्वक्रतुफलं पुण्यम् अघौघविनिवारणम्
There is a sacred place called Mārkaṇḍeya, which removes all sins, bestows the fruits of all sacrifices, is holy, and dispels the multitude of evils.
तस्य प्रभावं वक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद यत्नतः मार्कण्डेयो भरद्वाजो वसिष्ठो ऽत्रिश् च गौतमः
I will now tell you of its greatness—listen attentively, O Nārada. Mārkaṇḍeya, Bharadvāja, Vasiṣṭha, Atri, and Gautama—
याज्ञवल्क्यश् च जाबालिर् मुनयो ऽन्ये ऽपि नारद एते शास्त्रप्रणेतारो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः
Yājñavalkya, Jābāli, and other sages, O Nārada—these are the authors of the scriptures, accomplished in the Vedas and their branches.
पुराणन्यायमीमांसाकथासु परिनिष्ठिताः मिथः समूचुर् विद्वांसो मुक्तिं प्रति यथामति
They are thoroughly versed in the Purāṇas, logic, and Mīmāṃsā, and in their discussions with one another, the wise expressed their views on liberation according to their understanding.
केचिज् ज्ञानं प्रशंसन्ति केचित् कर्म तथोभयम् एवं विवदमानास् ते माम् ऊचुर् उभयं मतम्
Some praise knowledge, some karma, and some both. Thus, while debating, they asked me for my opinion on both.
मदीयं तु मतं ज्ञात्वा ययुश् चक्रगदाधरम् तस्य चापि मतं ज्ञात्वा ऋषयस् ते महौजसः
Knowing my view, they went to the bearer of the discus and mace; and, understanding his view as well, those great sages departed.
पुनर् विवदमानास् ते शंकरं प्रष्टुम् उद्यताः गङ्गायां च भवं पूज्य तम् एवार्थं शशंसिरे
Again entering into dispute, they prepared to question Śaṅkara, and, having worshipped Bhava on the Ganges, they presented that very matter to him.
कर्मणस् तु प्रधानत्वम् उवाच त्रिपुरान्तकः क्रियारूपं च तज् ज्ञानं क्रिया सैव तद् उच्यते
Tripurāntaka declared the supremacy of action, saying that knowledge takes the form of action, and that very knowledge is called action.
तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि कर्मणा सिद्धिम् आप्नुयुः कर्मैव विश्वतोव्यापि तदृते नास्ति किंचन
Therefore, all beings attain perfection through action; action alone pervades everything—apart from it, nothing exists.
विद्याभ्यासो यज्ञकृतिर् योगाभ्यासः शिवार्चनम् सर्वं कर्मैव नाकर्मी प्राणी क्वाप्य् अत्र विद्यते
Study of knowledge, performance of sacrifice, practice of yoga, worship of Śiva—all are indeed action; there is no living being here who is without action.
कर्मैव कारणं तस्माद् अन्यद् उन्मत्तचेष्टितम् ऋषीणां यत्र संवादो यत्र देवो महेश्वरः
Therefore, only action is the cause; anything else is the behavior of the deluded. Where the sages converse, there is the god Maheśvara.
चकार निर्णयं सर्वं कर्मणावाप्यते नृभिः मार्कण्डं मुख्यतः कृत्वा ततो मार्कण्डम् उच्यते
He made the final decision: everything is attained by people through action, especially by making Mārkaṇḍa central—thus it is called Mārkaṇḍa.
तीर्थम् ऋषिगणाकीर्णं गङ्गाया उत्तरे तटे पितॄणां पावनं पुण्यं स्मरणाद् अपि सर्वदा
A sacred place thronged by hosts of sages, on the northern bank of the Ganges, purifying and holy for the ancestors, always sanctifying even by remembrance.
तत्राष्टौ नवतिस् तात तीर्थान्य् आह जगन्मयः वेदेन चापि तत् प्रोक्तम् ऋषयो मेनिरे च तत्
There, O dear one, the Lord of the Universe declared there are ninety-eight sacred places; this was also stated in the Veda, and the sages agreed.
यायातम् अपरं तीर्थं यत्र कालञ्जरः शिवः सर्वपापप्रशमनं तद्वृत्तम् उच्यते मया
Go to another sacred place, where Kālañjara is Śiva, the remover of all sins; I shall tell you its story.
ययातिर् नाहुषो राजा साक्षाद् इन्द्र इवापरः तस्य भार्याद्वयं चासीत् कुललक्षणभूषितम्
Yayāti, son of Nahusha, a king like another Indra, had two wives, both adorned with the marks of noble lineage.
ज्येष्ठा तु देवयानीति नाम्ना शुक्रसुता शुभा शर्मिष्ठेति द्वितीया सा सुता स्याद् वृषपर्वणः
The elder, named Devayānī, was the auspicious daughter of Śukra; the second, named Śarmiṣṭhā, was the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan.
ब्राह्मण्य् अपि महाप्राज्ञा देवयानी सुमध्यमा ययातेर् अभवद् भार्या सा तु शुक्रप्रसादतः
Devayānī, wise and of noble form, became Yayāti’s wife by the favor of Śukra, though she was a Brāhmaṇa woman.
शर्मिष्ठा चापि तस्यैव भार्या या वृषपर्वजा देवयानी शुक्रसुता द्वौ पुत्रौ समजीजनत्
Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, was also his wife. Devayānī, daughter of Śukra, bore two sons.
यदुं च तुर्वसुं चैव देवपुत्रसमाव् उभौ शर्मिष्ठा च नृपाल् लेभे त्रीन् पुत्रान् देवसंनिभान्
She gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu, both equal to the sons of the gods; and Śarmiṣṭhā, the king’s wife, had three sons, resembling the gods.
द्रुह्युं चानुं च पूरुं च ययातेर् नृपसत्तमात् देवयान्याः सुतौ ब्रह्मन् सदृशौ शुक्ररूपतः
From the noble king Yayāti and Devayānī were born two sons, Druhyu and Anu, and Pūru, all resembling Śukra in form.
शर्मिष्ठायास् तु तनयाः शक्राग्निवरुणप्रभाः देवयानी कदाचित् तु पितरं प्राह दुःखिता
Śarmiṣṭhā’s sons shone with the brilliance of Indra, Agni, and Varuṇa. But once, Devayānī, distressed, spoke to her father.
मम त्व् अपत्यद्वितयम् अभाग्याया भृगूद्वह मम दास्याः सभाग्याया अपत्यत्रितयं पितः
O best of Bhṛgus, though I am unfortunate and have only two children, my servant, who is fortunate, has three children, father.
तद् एतद् अनुमृश्यायं दुःखम् अत्यन्तम् आगता मरिष्ये दानवगुरो ययातिकृतविप्रियात् मानभङ्गाद् वरं तात मरणं हि मनस्विनाम्
Reflecting on this, I am overcome by great sorrow; I shall die because of the wrong done by Yayāti, O preceptor of the Dānavas. For those of noble mind, death is better than dishonor.
तद् एतत् पुत्रिकावाक्यं श्रुत्वा शुक्रः प्रतापवान् कुपितो ऽभ्याययौ शीघ्रं ययातिम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
Hearing these words of his daughter, the mighty Śukra, enraged, swiftly approached Yayāti and spoke to him thus:
यद् इदं विप्रियं मे त्वं सुतायाः कृतवान् असि रूपोन्मत्तेन राजेन्द्र तस्माद् वृद्धो भविष्यसि
Because you have done this grievous wrong to my daughter, O king, driven by infatuation with beauty, therefore you shall become old.
न च भोक्तुं न च त्यक्तुं शक्नोति विषयातुरः स्पृहयन् मनसैवास्ते निःश्वासोच्छ्वासनष्टधीः
One tormented by desire is unable either to enjoy or to renounce; longing in his mind alone, he remains, his understanding lost in sighs and breaths.
वृद्धत्वम् एव मरणं जीवताम् अपि देहिनाम् तस्माच् छीघ्रं प्रयाहि त्वं जरां भूपातिदुर्धराम्
Old age is itself death for living beings, even while alive; therefore, quickly go and accept this old age, O king, most difficult to bear.