Markandeya Purana

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.

तस्मात् सुपर्णगोत्रे त्वं मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृता । जन्म प्राप्स्यसि दुष्प्रज्ञे यावद्वर्षाणि षोडश॥१.

Therefore, tainted by my wrath, you will be born in the race of birds, O foolish one, for sixteen years.

निजरूपं परित्यज्य पक्षिणीरूपधारिणी । चत्वारस्ते च तनया जनिष्यन्तेऽधमाप्सराः॥१.

Abandoning your own form, assuming the shape of a bird, you will have four sons, O lowest of Apsarases.

अप्राप्य तेषु च प्रीतिं शस्त्रपूता पुनर्दिवि । वासमाप्स्यसि वक्तव्यं नोत्तरं ते कथञ्चन॥१.

Without finding joy among them, purified by this ordeal, you will again attain residence in heaven; you must not speak a word in reply.

इति वचनमसह्यं कोपसंरक्तदृष्टिश् चलकलबलयां तां मानिनीं श्रावयित्वा । तरलतरतरङ्गां गां परित्यज्य विप्रः प्रथितगुणगणौघां संप्रयाताः खगङ्गाम्॥१.

Having pronounced this unbearable curse, his eyes red with anger, the sage departed, leaving the trembling, proud one, and she, her mind agitated like the waves of a restless river, took birth among the birds, famed for their many virtues.

; धर्मपक्षिण ऊचुः हरिश्चन्द्रेति राजर्षिरासीत् त्रेतायुगे पुरा । धर्मात्मा पृथिवीपालः प्रोल्लसत्कीर्तिरुत्तमः॥७.

There was once a royal sage named Harishchandra in the Treta age, a ruler of the earth whose noble fame shone forth, steadfast in righteousness.

न दुर्भिक्षं न च व्याधिर्नाकालमरणं नृणाम् । नाधर्मरुचयः पौरास्तस्मिन् शासति पार्थिवे॥७.

During his reign, there was neither famine nor disease, nor untimely death among people, nor were the citizens inclined toward unrighteousness.

बभूवुर्न तथोन्मत्ता धन-वीर्य-तपोमदैः । नाजायन्त स्त्रियश्चैव काश्चिदप्राप्तयौवनाः॥७.

Nor were there those intoxicated by wealth, strength, or asceticism; and no women were born who had not attained youth.

स कदाचिन्महाबाहुररण्येऽनुसरन् मृगम् । शुश्राव शब्दमसकृत् त्रायस्वेति च योषिताम्॥७.

Once, that mighty-armed king, while pursuing a deer in the forest, repeatedly heard the cries of women calling, 'Save us!'

स विहाय मृगं राजा मा भैषीरित्यभाषत । मयि शासति दुर्मेधाः कोऽयमन्यायवृत्तिमान्॥७.

Abandoning the deer, the king spoke, 'Do not fear!' Who, while I rule, would act with such wickedness and injustice?

तत्क्रन्दितानुसारी च सर्वारम्भविघातकृत् । एकस्मिन्नन्तरे रौद्रो विघ्नराट् समचिन्तयत्॥७.

Following the sound of their cries, he encountered the cause of all obstacles—a fierce being—who began to ponder.