मार्कण्डेयपुराणम् प्रथमोऽध्यायः आरम्भमङ्गलम् यद्योगिभिर्भवभयार्तिविनाशयोग्यम् आसाद्य वन्दितमतीव विवक्तचित्तैः । तद्वः पुनातु हरिपादसरोजयुग्मम् अविर्भवत्क्रमविलङ्घितभूर्भुवः स्वः॥मंगल
May the twin lotus feet of Hari, which are fit to remove the suffering of those afflicted by the fear of worldly existence, and which are approached and reverently worshipped by yogis of pure and focused minds, purify you—those feet that, in their manifestation, transcend the realms of earth, atmosphere, and heaven.
पायात् स वः सकलकल्मषभेददक्षः क्षीरोदकुक्षिफणिभोगनिविष्टमूर्तिः । श्वासावधूतसलिलोत्कणिकाकरालः सिन्धुः प्रनृत्यमिव यस्य करोति सङ्गात्॥मंगल
May He protect you, who is skilled in dispelling all sins, whose form rests upon the coils of the serpent in the ocean of milk, whose breath stirs up the terrifying waves, so that the ocean, as if seized by His presence, seems to dance.
नारायणं समस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम् । देवीं सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्॥मंगल
Having invoked Nārāyaṇa, the supreme man, the noble Nara, the goddess Sarasvatī, and Vyāsa, one should then utter 'Victory!'
त्रिदशानां यथा विष्णुर्द्विपदां ब्राह्मणो यथा । भूषणानाञ्च सर्वेषां यथा चूडामणिर्वरः॥१.
Just as Viṣṇu is foremost among the gods, as the brāhmaṇa is among men, and as the crest-jewel is among all ornaments,
यथायुधानां कुलिशमिन्द्रियाणां यथा मनः । तथेह सर्वशास्त्रणां महाभारतमुत्तमम्॥१.
As the thunderbolt is among weapons, and the mind among the senses, so too is the Mahābhārata supreme among all scriptures.
अत्रार्थश्चैव धर्मश्च कामो मोक्षश्च वर्ण्यते । परस्परानुबन्धाश्च सानुबन्धाश्च ते पृथक्॥१.
Here are described the aims of life: wealth, righteousness, desire, and liberation, along with their mutual connections and their distinct forms.
धर्मशास्त्रमिदं श्रेष्ठमर्थशास्त्रमिदं परम् । कामशास्त्रमिदं चाग्र्यं मोक्षशास्त्रं तथोत्तमम्॥१.
This is the foremost scripture on righteousness, the highest on wealth, the best on desire, and the supreme treatise on liberation.
चतुराश्रमधर्माणामाचारस्थितिसाधनम् । प्रोक्तमेतन्महाभाग वेदव्यासेन धीमता॥१.
The conduct and means of stability for the four stages of life are taught here, O fortunate one, by the wise Vyāsa.
तथा तात कृतं ह्येतद् व्यासेनोदारकर्मणा । यथा व्याप्तं महाशास्त्रं विरोधैर्नाभिभूयते॥१.
Thus, dear one, this has been accomplished by Vyāsa of noble deeds, so that this great scripture, being all-encompassing, cannot be overcome by contradictions.
व्यासवाक्यजलौघेन कुतर्कतरुहारिणा । वेदशैलावतीर्णेन नीरजस्का मही कृता॥१.
By the flood of Vyāsa's words, which uproot the trees of false reasoning and descend from the mountain of the Vedas, the earth has been made free of mire.
कलशब्दमहाहंसं माख्यानपराम्बुजम् । कथाविस्तीर्णसलिलं कार्ष्ण वेदमहाह्रदम्॥१.
It is a great lake of the Vedas, belonging to the son of Kṛṣṇa (Vyāsa), with the sound of waterpots as great swans, the lotus of narrative as its focus, and the expansive waters of story.
तदिदं भारताख्यानं बह्विर्थं श्रुतिविस्तरम् । तत्त्वतो ज्ञातुकामोऽहं भगवंस्त्वामुपस्थितः॥१.
Therefore, this Bhārata, rich in meaning and vast in scope, I wish to know in its true essence, revered one; to you I have come.
कस्मान्मानुषतां प्राप्तो निर्गुणोऽपि जनार्दनः । वासुदेवो जगत्सूति-स्थिति-संयमकारणम्॥१.
Why did Janārdana, though beyond qualities, take human birth—He, Vāsudeva, the cause of the creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe?
कस्माच्च पाण्डुपुत्त्राणामेका सा द्रुपदात्मजा । पञ्चानां महीषी कृष्णा ह्यत्र नः संशयो महान्॥१.
And why was Kṛṣṇā, the daughter of Drupada, the sole queen of the sons of Pāṇḍu, though they were five? On this matter, we have great doubt.
भेषजं ब्रह्महत्याया बलदेवो महाबलः । तीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेन कस्माच्चक्रे हलायुधः॥१.
Why did the mighty Baladeva, to expiate the sin of brahminicide, undertake a pilgrimage to holy places, carrying his plough as a weapon?
कथञ्च द्रौपदेयास्तेऽकृतदारा महारथाः । पाण्डुनाथा महात्मानो वधमापुरनाथवत्॥१.
And how did the sons of Draupadī, those great warriors, though without wives, and the noble sons of Pāṇḍu, meet their deaths like men without protectors?
एतत्सर्वं विस्तरशो ममाख्यातुमिहार्हसि । भवन्तो मूढबुद्धीनामवबोधकराः सदा॥१.
All this, in detail, you ought to explain to me here; for you are always those who bring understanding to the minds of the confused.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मार्कण्डेयो माहमुनिः । दशाष्टदोषरहितो वक्तुं समुपचक्रमे॥१.
Hearing these words, the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya, free from the ten and eight faults, began to speak.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच क्रियाकालोऽयमस्माकं समप्राप्तो मुनिसत्तम । विस्तरे चापि वक्तव्ये नैष कालः प्रशस्यते॥१.
Markandeya said: The time for ritual action has now arrived for us, O eminent sage; but when it comes to speaking at length, this is not the proper moment.
ये तु वक्ष्यन्ति वक्ष्येऽद्य तानहं जैमिने तव । तथा च नष्टसन्देहं त्वां करिष्यन्ति पक्षिणः॥१.
Yet those who will speak, I shall tell you about them today, O Jaimini; and thus, the birds will make your doubts vanish.
पिङ्गाक्षश्च विबोधश्च सुपुत्त्रः सुमुखस्तथा । द्रोणपुत्राः खगश्रेष्ठास्तत्त्वज्ञाः शास्त्रचिन्तकाः॥१.
Pingaksha, Vibodha, Suputra, and Sumukha, the sons of Drona—these are the foremost among birds, knowers of truth, and thinkers upon scripture.
वेदशास्त्रार्थविज्ञाने येषामव्याहता मतिः । विन्ध्यकन्दरमध्यस्थास्तानुपास्य च पृच्छ च॥१.
Their intellect is unobstructed in understanding the meaning of the Vedas and scriptures; they dwell within the caves of the Vindhya mountains—approach them and ask your questions.
एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन मार्कण्डेयेन धीमता । प्रत्युवाचर्षिशार्दूलो विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः॥१.
Thus addressed by the wise Markandeya, the tiger among sages replied, his eyes wide with astonishment.
जैमिनिरुवाच अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन् खगवागिव मानुषी । यत् पक्षिणस्ते विज्ञानमापुरत्यन्तदुर्लभम्॥१.
Jaimini said: This is truly wondrous, O Brahman, that the speech of birds is like that of humans, and that your birds have attained knowledge which is exceedingly rare.
तिर्यग्योन्यां यदि भवस्तेषां ज्ञानं कुतोऽभवत् । कथञ्च द्रोणतनयाः प्रोच्यन्ते ते पतत्रिणः॥१.
If they are born among animals, how did they acquire such knowledge? And how are the sons of Drona spoken of as birds?
कश्च द्रोणः प्रविख्यातो यस्य पुत्रचतुष्टयम् । जातं गुणवतां तेषां धर्मज्ञानं महात्मनाम्॥१.
Who is this renowned Drona, whose four sons were born, possessing virtue and knowledge of dharma, and are called great souls?
मार्कण्डेय उवाच शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा यद्वृत्तं नन्दने पुरा । शक्रस्याप्यसरसां चैव नारदस्य च सङ्गमे॥१.
Markandeya said: Listen attentively as I recount what once happened in Nandana, at the meeting of Shakra, the lord of the gods, and Narada.
नारदो नन्दनेऽपश्यत् पुंश्चलीगणमध्यगम् । शक्रं सुराधिराजानं तन्मुखासक्तलोचनम्॥१.
Narada, in Nandana, saw Shakra, king of the gods, among a group of courtesans, his gaze fixed upon their faces.
स तेनर्षिवरिष्ठेन दृष्टमात्रः शचीपतिः । समुत्तस्थौ स्वकं चास्मै ददावासनमादरात्॥१.
As soon as he was seen by that eminent sage, the lord Shachi rose and respectfully offered him his own seat.
तं दृष्ट्वा बलवृत्रघ्नमुत्थितं त्रिदशाङ्गनाः । प्रणेमुस्ताश्च देवर्षि विनयावनताः स्थिताः॥१.
Seeing the mighty slayer of Vritra rise, the divine women bowed to him, and to the sage, standing with humility.