Markandeya Purana

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततस्तौ सहितौ विप्र तं मुनिं समुपस्थितौ । समाधिर्नाम वैश्योऽसौ स च पार्थिवसत्तमः॥८१.

Markandeya said: Then, O brahmin, the two of them together approached that sage—the merchant named Samadhi and that best of kings.

कृत्वा तु तौ यथान्यायं यथार्हं तेन संविदम् । उपविष्टौ कथाः काश्चिच्चक्रतुर्वैश्य-पार्थिवौ॥८१.

Having properly greeted him as was fitting, the merchant and the king sat down and began to converse.

राजोवाच भगवंस्त्वामहं प्रष्टुमिच्चाम्येकं वदस्व तत् । दुःखाय यन्मे मनसः स्वचित्तायत्ततां विना॥८१.

The king said: Revered one, I wish to ask you a question—please tell me this: what is it that causes my mind to suffer, being subject to its own impulses?

ममत्वं गतराज्यस्य राज्याङ्गेष्वखिलेष्वपि । जानतोऽपि यथाज्ञस्य किमेतन्मुनिसत्तम॥८१.

Even after losing my kingdom, I still feel possessiveness toward all its parts; though I know better, I am like one ignorant—O best of sages, what is this?

अयं च निकृतः पुत्रैर्दारैर्भृत्यैस्तथोज्झितः । स्वजनेन च सन्त्यक्तस्तेषु हार्दे तथाप्यति॥८१.

And this man, too, has been deceived by his sons, abandoned by his wife and servants, forsaken by his own people—yet his heart remains bound to them.

एवमेष तथाहं च द्वावप्यत्यन्तदुः खितौ । दृष्टदोषेऽपि विषये ममत्वाकृष्टमानसौ॥८१.

Thus, both he and I are deeply afflicted; though we see the faults in these matters, our minds are drawn by attachment.

तत्किमेतन्महाभाग यन्मोहो ज्ञानिनोरपि । ममास्य च भवत्येषा विवेकान्धस्य मूढता॥८१.

So what is this, O greatly fortunate one, this delusion that arises even in the wise? Why does this blindness of discernment, this folly, occur in me and in him?

ऋषिरुवाच ज्ञानमस्ति समस्तस्य जन्तोर्विषयगोचरे । विषयश्च महाभाग याति चैवं पृथक् पृथक्॥८१.

The sage said: Knowledge exists in all living beings within the range of their senses, O greatly fortunate one, but the objects of sense appear to each as distinct.

दिवान्धाः प्राणिनः केचिद्रात्रावन्धास्तथापरे । केचिद् दिवा तथा रात्रौ प्राणिनस्तुल्यदृष्टयः॥८१.

Some living beings are blind by day, others are blind by night; some see equally well by day and night.

ज्ञानिनो मनुजाः सत्यं किन्तु ते न हि केवलम् । यतो हि ज्ञानिनः सर्वे पशु-पक्षि-मृगादयः॥८१.

It is true that humans are knowledgeable, but not exclusively so; for all creatures—animals, birds, and beasts—possess knowledge.

ज्ञानं च तन्मनुष्याणां यत्तेषां मृगृपक्षिणाम् । मनुष्याणां च यत्तेषां तुल्यमन्यत्तथोभयोः॥८१.

The knowledge that humans have is also found in animals and birds; and what they possess, humans have as well—there is a similarity in both.

ज्ञानेऽपि सति पश्यैतान् पतङ्गाञ्छावचञ्चुषु । कणमोक्षादृतान् मोहात्पीड्यमानानपि क्षुधा॥८१.

Even with knowledge, look at these moths: though tormented by hunger, out of delusion they rush into flames, unable to escape destruction.

मानुषा मनुजव्याघ्र साभिलाषाः सुतान् प्रति । लोभात्प्रत्युपकाराय नन्वेतान् किं न पश्यसि॥८१.

Humans, O tiger among men, are similarly attached to their children out of desire; out of greed, they seek reciprocation—do you not see this?

तथापि ममतावर्ते मोहगर्ते निपातिताः । महामायाप्रभावेण संसारस्थितिकारिणा॥८१.

Yet, even so, people are cast into the whirlpool of attachment and the pit of delusion, by the power of the great Māyā, which sustains worldly existence.

तन्नात्र विस्मयः कार्यो योगनिद्रा जगत्पतेः । महामाया हरेश्चैतत्तथा संमोह्यते जगत्॥८१.

Therefore, no wonder should be felt here, for it is the Yogic Sleep of the Lord of the world; this is the great Māyā of Hari, by which the world is thus bewildered.

ज्ञानिनामपि चेतांसि देवी भगवती हि सा । बलादाकृष्य मोहाय महामाया प्रयच्छति॥८१.

Even the minds of the wise are forcibly drawn by that Goddess, the Blessed One, and the great Māyā bestows delusion.

तया विसृज्यते विश्वं जगदेतच्चराचरम् । सैषा प्रसन्ना वरदा नृणां भवति मुक्तये॥८१.

By her, this entire universe, both moving and unmoving, is projected; when she is pleased, she grants boons and becomes the cause of liberation for people.

सा विद्या परमा मुक्तेर्हेतुभूता सनातनी । संसारबन्धहेतुश्च सैव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरी॥८१.

She is the supreme knowledge, the eternal cause of liberation; she is also the cause of bondage in worldly existence, and the sovereign of all sovereigns.

राजोवाच भगवन् ! का हि सा देवी महामायेति यां भवान् । ब्रवीति कथमुत्पन्ना सा कर्मास्याश्च किं द्विज॥८१.

The king said: O revered one! Who is that Goddess called Mahāmāyā, whom you speak of? How was she born, and what are her deeds, O twice-born?

यत्स्वभावा च सा देवी यत्स्वरूपा यदुद्भवा । तत् सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामि त्वत्तो ब्रह्मविदां वर॥८१.

What is the nature of that Goddess, what is her form, and whence did she arise? I wish to hear all this from you, O best of those who know Brahman.

ऋषिरुवाच नित्यैव सा जगन्मूर्तिस्तया सर्वमिदं ततम् । तथापि तत्समुत्पत्तिर्बहुधा श्रुयतां मम॥८१.

The sage said: She is eternal, the embodiment of the universe, and by her all this is pervaded; yet, her origin is manifold—listen to it from me.

देवानां कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थमाविर्भवति सा यदा । उत्पन्नेति तदा लोके सा नित्याप्यभिधीयते॥८१.

Whenever she appears for the accomplishment of the gods' purposes, she is said to be born; yet she is always called eternal in the world.

योगनिद्रां यदा विष्णुर्जगत्येकार्णवीकृते । आस्तीर्य शेषमभजत् कल्पान्ते भगवान् प्रभुः॥८१.

When Viṣṇu, at the end of the cycle, spread out Yogic Sleep upon the world turned into a single ocean, the Blessed Lord rested upon Śeṣa.

तदा द्वावसुरौ घोरौ विख्यातौ मधुकैटभौ । विष्णुकर्णमलोद्भूतौ हन्तुं ब्रह्माणमुद्यतौ॥८१.

Then, two fierce demons, renowned as Madhu and Kaiṭabha, arose from the dirt of Viṣṇu's ears, intent on killing Brahmā.

स नाभिकमले विष्णोः स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः । दृष्ट्वा तावसुरौ चोग्रौ प्रसुप्तं च जनार्दनम्॥८१.

Brahmā, the lord of creatures, seated in the lotus from Viṣṇu's navel, saw those two fierce demons and Janārdana lying asleep.

तुष्टाव योगनिद्रां तामेकाग्रहृदयस्थितः । विबोधनार्थाय हरेर्हरिनेत्रकृतालयाम्॥८१.

With focused heart, he praised that Yogic Sleep, dwelling in the eyes of Hari, for the purpose of awakening Hari.

ब्रह्मोवाच विश्वेश्वरीं जगद्धात्रीं स्थिति-संहारकारिणीम् । निद्रां भगवतीं विष्णोरतुलां तेजसः प्रभुः॥८१.

Brahmā said: O Lady of the universe, O sustainer of the world, O cause of preservation and destruction, O blessed Sleep of Viṣṇu, O incomparable radiance of the Lord!

त्वं स्वाहा त्वं स्वधा त्वं हि वषट्कारः स्वरात्मिका । सुधा त्वमक्षरे नित्ये त्रिधा मात्रात्मिका स्थिता॥८१.

You are Svāhā, you are Svadhā, you are indeed the Vaṣaṭ call, the essence of the sounds; you are nectar, O eternal imperishable one, established as the threefold measure.

अर्धमात्रा स्थिता नित्या यानुच्चार्या विशेषतः । त्वमेव सन्ध्या सावित्री त्वं देवि जननी परा॥८१.

You are eternally established as the half-measure, which is especially unutterable; you alone are the twilight, the Sāvitrī, O Goddess, the supreme mother.