Markandeya Purana

बान्धवेषु चिरं वासो नारीणां न यशस्करः । मनोरथो बान्धवानां नार्या भर्तृगृहे स्थितिः ॥ ७७.

'For women, a long stay among relatives does not bring honor; the wish of relatives is that a woman should remain in her husband's house.'

सा त्वं त्रैलोक्यनाथेन भर्त्रा सूर्येण सङ्गता । पितृगेहे चिरं कालं वस्तुं नार्हसि पुत्रिके ॥ ७७.

'You, united with your husband, the lord of the three worlds, the Sun, should not, my daughter, dwell long in your father's house.'

सा त्वं भर्तृगृहं गच्छ तुष्टोऽहं पूजितासि मे । पुनरागमनं कार्यं दर्शनाय शुभे मम ॥ ७७.

'Go, therefore, to your husband's house; I am pleased, you have honored me. But you must return again to see me, O auspicious one.'

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्ता सा तदा पित्रा तथेत्युक्त्वा च सा मुने । संपूजयित्वा पितरं जगामाथोत्तरान् कुरून् ॥ ७७.

Markandeya said: Thus addressed by her father, she replied, 'So be it,' and after honoring her father, she went to the northern Kurus.

सूर्यतापमनिच्छन्ती तेजसस्तस्य बिभ्यती । तपश्चचार तत्रापि वडवारूपधारिणी ॥ ७७.

Not wishing the heat of the Sun and fearing his radiance, she performed austerities there as one assuming the form of a mare.

संज्ञेयमिति मन्वानो द्वितीयायामहस्पतिः । जनयामास तनयौ कन्याञ्चैकां मनोरमाम् ॥ ७७.

Thinking she was Sanjna, the Sun, for his second wife, begot two sons and one beautiful daughter.

छायासंज्ञा त्वपत्येषु यथा स्वेष्वतिवत्सला । तथा न संज्ञाकन्यायां पुत्रयोश्चान्ववर्तत ॥ ७७.

Chaya, in regard to her own children, was exceedingly affectionate, but not so toward Sanjna's daughter and her two sons.

लालनाद्युपभोगेषु विशेषमनुवासरम् । मनुस्तत्क्षान्तवानस्य यमस्तस्या न चक्षमे ॥ ७७.

In caressing and enjoyment, she made distinctions day by day; Manu, being patient, endured it, but Yama could not tolerate it.

ताडनाय च वै कोपात्पादस्तेन समुद्यतः । तस्याः पुनः क्षान्तिमता न तु देहे निपातितः ॥ ७७.

In anger, he raised his foot to strike her, but she, being forbearing, did not let it fall upon her body.

ततः शशाप तं कोपाच्छायासंज्ञा यमं द्विज । किञ्चित्प्रस्फुरमाणौष्ठी विचलत्पाणिपल्लवा ॥ ७७.

Then, Chāyā, her lips slightly trembling and her hands unsteady with anger, cursed Yama, O twice-born one.

पितुः पत्नीममर्यादं यन्मां तर्जयसे पदा । भुवि तस्मादयं पदास्तवाद्यैव पतिष्यति ॥ ७७.

Because you, disregarding propriety, threaten me, your father's wife, with your foot, therefore today your foot will fall to the earth.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्याकर्ण्य यमः शापं मात्रा दत्तं भयातुरः । अभ्येत्य पितरं प्राह प्रणिपातपुरः सरम् ॥ ७७.

Markandeya said: Hearing this curse pronounced by his mother, Yama, filled with fear, approached his father and spoke, bowing down before him.

यम उवाच तातैतन्महदाश्चर्यं न दृष्टमिति केनचित् । माता वात्सल्यमुत्सृज्य शापं पुत्रे प्रयच्छति ॥ ७७.

Yama said: Father, this is a great wonder, unheard of by anyone— that a mother, abandoning affection, should lay a curse upon her son.

यथा मनुर्ममाचष्टे नेयं मता तथा मम । विगुणेष्वपि पुत्रेषु न माता विगुणा भवेत् ॥ ७७.

As Manu has declared, and so is my own view: even if her sons are at fault, a mother herself does not become faulty.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच यमस्यैतद्वचः श्रुत्वा भगवांस्तिमिरापहः । छायासंज्ञां समाहूय पप्रच्छ क्व गतेति सा ॥ ७७.

Markandeya said: Hearing these words of Yama, the blessed dispeller of darkness summoned Chāyā and asked her where she had gone.

सा चाह तनया त्वष्टुरहं संज्ञा विभावसो । पत्नी तव त्वयापत्यान्येतानि जनितानि मे ॥ ७७.

She replied: I am Saṃjñā, daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, wife of Vivasvat; these children of yours were born from me.

इत्थं विवस्वतः सा तु बहुशः पृच्छतो यदा । नाचचक्षे ततः क्रुद्धो भास्वांस्तां शप्तुमुद्यतः ॥ ७७.

Thus, when Vivasvat repeatedly questioned her, she did not reveal the truth; then, angered, the radiant one prepared to curse her.

ततः सा कथयामास यथावृत्तं विवस्वतः । विदितार्थश्च भगवान् जगाम त्वष्टुरालयम् ॥ ७७.

Then she told Vivasvat everything as it had happened; and when the blessed one understood, he went to the house of Tvaṣṭṛ.

ततः स पूजयामास तदा त्रैलोक्यपूजितम् । भास्वन्तं परया भक्त्या निजगेहमुपागतम् ॥ ७७.

There, he who is worshipped throughout the three worlds was honored with supreme devotion by Tvaṣṭṛ, when he arrived at his home.

संज्ञां पृष्टस्तदा तस्मै कथयामास विश्वकृत् । आगतैवेह मे वेश्म भवतः प्रेषितेति वै ॥ ७७.

When asked about Saṃjñā, Viśvakarman, the creator, told him: 'She has come here to my house, sent by you.'

दिवाकरः समाधिस्थो वडवारूपधारिणीम् । तपश्चरन्तीं ददृशे उत्तरेषु कुरुष्वथ ॥ ७७.

The sun, absorbed in meditation, saw her, taking the form of a mare, practicing austerities in the northern Kurus.

सौम्यमूर्तिः शुभाकारो मम भर्ता भवेदिति । अभिसन्धिञ्च तपसो बुबुधेऽस्या दिवाकरः ॥ ७७.

The sun understood her intention in performing austerities: 'May my husband have a gentle form and auspicious appearance.'

शातनं तेजसो मेऽद्य क्रियतामिति भास्करः । तञ्चाह विश्वकर्माणं संज्ञायाः पितरं द्विज ॥ ७७.

The radiant one said to Viśvakarman, Saṃjñā's father: 'Let my brilliance be diminished today.'

संवत्सरभ्रमेस्तस्य विश्वकर्मा करवेस्ततः । तेजसः शातनञ्चक्रे स्तूयमानश्च दैवतैः ॥ ७७.

Then Viśvakarman, praised by the gods, after a year of effort, reduced the sun's brilliance.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच सावर्णिः सूर्यतनयो यो मनुः कथ्यतेऽष्टमः । निशामय तदुत्पत्तिं विस्तराद् गदतो मम॥८१.

Markandeya said: Hear now in detail from me the origin of Sāvarṇi, the eighth Manu, son of the sun, as it is recounted.

महामायानुभावेन यथा मन्वन्तराधिपः । स बभूव महाभागः सावर्णिस्तनयो रवेः॥८१.

By the power of the great Māyā, Sāvarṇi, the illustrious son of the sun, became the lord of a Manvantara.

स्वारोचिषेऽन्तरे पूर्वं चैत्रवंशसमुद्भवः । सुरथो नाम राजाभूत् समस्ते क्षितिमण्डले॥८१.

In the previous Svārociṣa Manvantara, there was a king named Suratha, born in the lineage of Citrā, who ruled the entire earth.

तस्य पालयतः सम्यक् प्रजाः पुत्रानिवौरसान् । बभूवुः शत्रवो भूपाः कोलाविध्वंसिनस्तथा॥८१.

While he was properly protecting his subjects, like sons born from his own body, there arose enemies for him—kings who destroyed his lineage and power.

तस्य तैरभवद् युद्धमतिप्रबलदण्डिनः । न्यूनैरपि स तैर्युद्धे कोलाविध्वंसिभिर्जितः॥८१.

A battle occurred between him, who wielded great authority, and those destroyers of his line, even though they were fewer; yet, in that battle, he was defeated by them.