Markandeya Purana

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.

ताभिरभ्यर्चितः सोऽथ उपविष्टे शतक्रतौ । यथार्हं कृतसम्भाषः कथाश्चक्रे मनोरमाः॥१.

Honored by them, and seated beside Shakra, Narada exchanged proper greetings and engaged in delightful conversation.

शक्र उवाच ततः कथान्तरे शक्रस्तमुवाच महामुनिम् । देह्याज्ञां नृत्यतामासां तव याभिमतेति वै॥१.

Shakra said: Then, in the midst of their conversation, Shakra addressed the great sage: 'Give your command as to which of these dancers you desire.'

रम्भा वा कर्कशा वाथ उर्वश्यथ तिलोत्तमा । घृताची मेनका वापि यत्र वा भवतो रुचिः॥१.

Whether Rambha, Karkasha, Urvashi, or Tilottama, or Ghritachi, Menaka, whichever pleases you.

एतच्छ्रुत्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठो वचो शक्रस्य नारदः । विचिन्त्याप्सरसः प्राह विनयावनताः स्थिताः॥१.

Hearing these words of Shakra, the foremost of twice-born, Narada, after considering, spoke to the apsaras who stood there with humility.

युष्माकमिह सर्वासां रूपौदार्यगुणाधिकम् । आत्मानं मन्यते या तु सा नृत्यतु ममाग्रतः॥१.

Among all of you here, whichever considers herself superior in beauty, generosity, and qualities, let her dance before me.

गुणरूपविहीनायाः सिद्धिर्नाट्यस्य नास्ति वै । चार्वधिष्ठानवन्नृत्यं नृत्यमन्यद्विडम्बनम्॥१.

For one lacking in virtue and beauty, success in dance is not possible; just as a dance without proper foundation is mere imitation.

तद्वाक्यसमकालं च एकैकास्ता नतास्ततः । अहं गुणाधिका न त्वं न त्वं चान्याब्रवीदिदम्॥१.

At that very moment, each one of them bowed and said, 'I am superior in qualities, not you; nor are you,' thus did each declare.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच तासां संभ्रममालोक्य भगवान् पाकशासनः । पृच्छ्यतां मुनिरित्याह वक्ता यां वो गुणाधिकाम्॥१.

Markandeya said: Seeing their agitation, the blessed wielder of the thunderbolt said, 'Let the sage be asked; he will declare which of you is superior in qualities.'

शक्रच्छन्दानुयाताभिः पृष्टस्ताभिः सनारदः । प्रोवाच यत् तदा वाक्यं जैमिने तन्निबोध मे॥१.

Questioned by them, following Indra's wish, the sage Narada spoke; listen, O Jaimini, to what he then said.

तपस्यन्तं नगेन्द्रस्थं या वः क्षोभयते बलात् । दुर्वाससं मुनिश्रेष्ठं तां वो मन्ये गुणाधिकाम्॥१.

She among you who can forcibly disturb the great sage Durvasa, who is engaged in austerity atop the mountain, I consider her superior in qualities.

मार्कण्डेय उवाच तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वा वेपतकन्धराः । अशक्यमेतदस्माकमिति ताश्चक्रिरे कथाः॥१.

Markandeya said: Hearing these words, all their necks trembled; 'This is impossible for us,' thus did they converse among themselves.

तत्राप्सरा वपुर्नाम मुनिक्षोभणगर्विता । प्रत्युवाचाद्य यास्यामि यत्रासौ संस्थितो मुनिः॥१.

There, an Apsaras named Vapu, proud of her power to disturb sages, replied, 'Today I will go to where that sage is residing.'

अद्य तं देहयन्तारं प्रयुक्तेन्द्रियवाजिनम् । स्मरशस्त्रगलद्रश्मिं करिष्यामि कुसारथिम्॥१.

Today, with the help of the god of love, whose arrows drip with the essence of passion, I will make that sage, the subduer of the senses, yield.

ब्रह्मा जनार्दनो वापि यदि वा नीललोहितः । तमप्यद्य करिष्यामि कामबाणक्षतान्तरम्॥१.

Whether it be Brahma, Janardana, or even the blue-throated one, today I would make even them wounded by the arrows of desire.

इत्युक्त्वा प्रजगामाथ प्रालेयाद्रिं वपुस्तदा । मुनेस्तपः प्रभावेण प्रशान्तश्वापदाश्रमम्॥१.

Having said this, Vapu then went to the snowy mountain, to the hermitage of the sage, where, by the power of his austerity, even the wild beasts were at peace.

स पुंस्कोकिलमाधुर्या यत्रास्ते स महामुनिः । क्रोशमात्रं स्थिता तस्मादगायत वराप्सराः॥१.

Where that great sage dwelt, sweet as the song of the male cuckoo, the excellent Apsaras, standing a short distance away, began to sing.

तद्गीतध्वनिमाकर्ण्य मुनिर्विस्मितमानसः । जगाम तत्र यत्रास्ते सा बाला रुचिरानना॥१.

Hearing the sound of that song, the sage, his mind astonished, went to where that beautiful-faced maiden was.

तां दृष्ट्वा चारुसर्वाङ्गीं मुनिः संस्तभ्य मानसम् । क्षोभणायागतां ज्ञात्वा कोपामर्षसन्वितः॥१.

Seeing her, lovely in every limb, the sage, restraining his mind, knowing she had come to disturb him, was filled with anger and indignation.

उवाचेदं ततो वाक्यं महर्षिस्तां महातपाः॥१.

Then the great sage, possessed of great austerity, spoke these words to her.

यस्माद्दुः खार्जितस्येह तपसो विध्नकारणात् । आगतासि मदोन्मत्ते मम दुः खाय खेचरि॥१.

Because you have come here, O sky-roaming one, maddened by pride, to hinder my hard-won austerity, you have caused me suffering.