Markandeya Purana

मग्नस्य दुः खजलधौ पारः प्राणवियोजनम् । एकोऽपि बालको योऽयमासीद्वंशकरः सुतः॥८.

For one who is sunk in the ocean of sorrow, the only shore is death; and this one son, the perpetuator of the line, is gone.

मम दैवाम्बुवेगेन मग्नः सोऽपि बलीयसा । कथं प्राणान् विमुञ्चामि परायत्तोऽस्मि दुर्गतः॥८.

Even I, though strong, am overwhelmed by the force of my fate, like water; how can I give up my life, when I am helpless and afflicted?

अथवा नार्तिना क्लिष्टो नरः पापमवेक्षते । तिर्यक्त्वे नास्ति तद्दुः शं नासिपत्रवने तथा॥८.

Or perhaps, when tormented by suffering, a man considers sinful acts; but in the state of an animal, there is not such pain, nor in a forest of sword-leaves.

वैतरण्याङ्कुतस्तादृग् यादृशं पुत्रविप्लवे । सोऽहं सुतशिरीरेण दीप्यमाने हुताशने॥८.

Such is the torment of Vaitarani with its hooks, as is the grief of losing a son; thus I am, with my son's body burning in the sacrificial fire.

निपतिष्यामि तन्वङ्गि क्षन्तव्यं कुकृतं मम । अनुज्ञाता च गच्छ त्वं विप्रवेश्म सुछिस्मिते॥८.

I will fall, slender one; forgive my misdeeds. Having been permitted, you may go, lovely-smiling one, to the brahmin's house.

मम वाक्यञ्च तन्वङ्गि निबोधादृतमानसा । यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं गुरवो यदि तोषिताः॥८.

Hear my words, slender one, with a devoted mind: if I have given, if I have offered, if I have pleased the elders—

परत्र सङ्गमो भूयात् पुत्रेण सह च त्वया । इह लोके कुतस्त्वेतद् भविष्यति ममेङ्गितम्॥८.

May there be reunion in the next world with my son and with you; for in this world, how could such a wish of mine come to pass?

त्वया सह मम श्रेयो गमनं पुत्रमार्गणे । यन्मया हसता किञ्चिद्रहस्ये वा शुचिस्मिते॥८.

It is better for me to go with you, seeking our son; and if, smiling one, I have ever spoken anything improper, even in jest or in secret—

अश्लीलमुक्तं तत् सर्वं क्षन्तव्यं मम याचतः । राजपत्नीति गर्वेण नावज्ञेयः स ते द्विजः । सर्वयत्नेन ते तोष्यः स्वामिदैवतवच्छुभे॥८.

All that which was spoken improperly should be forgiven by you, as I ask. Do not, out of pride as a queen, disregard that brahmin; by every effort, you must please him, as you would your lord and deity, O auspicious one.

; राजपत्न्युवाच अहमप्यत्र राजर्षे दीप्यमाने हुताशने । दुः खभारासहाद्यैव सह यास्यामि वै त्वया॥८.

The queen said: I too, O royal sage, unable to bear the weight of sorrow, will go with you today into the blazing fire.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः ततः कृत्वा चितां राजा आरोप्य तनयं स्वकम् । भार्यया सहितश्चासौ बद्धाञ्जलिपुटस्तदा॥८.

The birds said: Then, having prepared the funeral pyre, the king placed his son upon it; together with his wife, he stood there with hands joined in reverence.

चिन्तयन् परमात्मानमीशं नारायणं हरिम् । हृत्कोटरगुहासीनं वासुदेवं सुरेश्वरम् । अनादिनिधनं ब्रह्म कृष्णं पीताम्बरं शुभम्॥८.

Contemplating the Supreme Self, the Lord Narayana, Hari, who dwells in the cave of the heart, Vasudeva, Lord of the gods, the beginningless and endless Brahman, Krishna, clad in yellow robes, the auspicious one—

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । धर्मं प्रमुखतः कृत्वा समाजग्मुस्त्वरान्विताः॥८.

As he was meditating, all the gods, along with Indra, came swiftly, placing Dharma at their head.

आगत्य सर्वे प्रोचुस्ते भो भो राजन् ! शृणु प्रभो । अयं पितामहः साक्षाद्धर्मश्च भगवान् स्वयम्॥८.

Having arrived, they all said: 'O king, listen, lord! Here is the Grandfather himself, and Dharma, the Blessed One, in person.'

साध्याश्च विश्वे मरुतो लोकपालाः सवाहनाः । नागाः सिद्धाः सगन्धर्वा रुद्राश्चैव तथाश्विनौ॥८.

The Sadhyas, the Visvedevas, the Maruts, the guardians of the worlds with their vehicles, the Nagas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Rudras, and the Ashvins as well—

एते चान्ये च बहवो विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च । विश्वत्रयेण यो मित्रं कर्तुं न शकितः पुरा॥८.

And many others also, including Vishvamitra, who once was unable to make friendship with the threefold universe—

विश्वामित्रस्तु ते मैत्रीमिष्टञ्चाहर्तुमिच्छति । आरुरोह ततः प्राप्तो धर्मः शक्रोऽथ गाधिजः॥८.

Now Vishvamitra wishes to establish friendship with you; then Dharma, Indra, and the son of Gadhi ascended and arrived.

; धर्मि उवाच मा राजन् ! साहसं कार्षोर्धर्मोऽहं त्वामुपागतः । तितिक्षा-दम-सत्याद्यैः स्वगुणैः परितोषितः॥८.

Dharma said: 'Do not act rashly, O king! I, Dharma, have come to you, pleased by your virtues of forbearance, self-control, truth, and others.'

; इन्द्र उवाच हरिश्चन्द्र माहभाग ! प्राप्तः शक्रोऽस्मितेऽन्तिकम् । त्वया सभार्यपुत्रेण जिता लोकाः सनातनाः॥८.

Indra said: 'O Harishchandra, greatly fortunate one! I, Shakra, have come to you; with your wife and son, you have conquered the eternal worlds.'

आरोह त्रिदिवं राजन् ! भार्यापुत्रसमन्वितः । सुदुष्प्राप्तं नरैरन्यैर्जितमात्मीयकर्मभिः॥८.

Ascend to heaven, O King, together with your wife and son—by your own deeds you have attained that which is exceedingly difficult for others to reach.

; पक्षिण ऊचुः ततोऽमृतमयं वर्षमपमृत्युविनाशनम् । इन्द्रः प्रासृजदाकाशाच्चितास्थानगतः प्रभुः॥८.

Then Indra, the Lord, seated in the assembly of the gods, released from the sky a rain of nectar that destroyed death.

पुष्पवर्षञ्च सुमहद्देवदुन्दुभिनिस्वनम् । ततस्ततो वर्तमाने समाजे देवसंकुले॥८.

There was a great shower of flowers and the sound of divine drums, as the gathering of gods continued in that assembly.

समुत्तस्थौ ततः पुत्रो राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः । सुकुमारतनुः सुस्थः प्रसन्नेन्द्रियमानसः॥८.

Then, the son of that great-souled king arose—his body delicate, in perfect health, his senses and mind clear and serene.

ततो राजा हरिश्चन्द्रः परिष्वज्य सुतं क्षणात् । सभार्यः स श्रिया युक्तो दिव्यमाल्याम्बरान्वितः॥८.

Thereupon King Harishchandra, adorned with celestial garlands and garments, embraced his son at once, together with his wife, radiant with splendor.

सुस्थः सम्पूर्णहृदयो मुदा परमया युतः । बभूव तत्क्षणादिन्द्रो भूयश्चैनमभाषत॥८.

Healthy, his heart completely fulfilled and filled with supreme joy, he became so in that very moment; then Indra spoke to him again.

सभार्यस्त्वं सपुत्रश्च प्राप्स्यसे सद्गतिं पराम् । समारोह माहभाग निजानां कर्मणां फलैः॥८.

With your wife and son, you shall attain the highest blessed state; ascend, O greatly fortunate one, by the fruits of your own deeds.

; हरिश्चन्द्र उवाच देवराजाननुज्ञातः स्वामिना श्वपचेन वै । अगत्वा निष्कृतिं तस्य नारोक्ष्येऽहं सुरालयम्॥८.

Harishchandra said: "Though permitted by you, O Lord of the gods, I will not ascend to the abode of the gods without first fulfilling my obligation to my master, the outcaste."

; धर्म उवाच तवैनं भाविनं क्लेशमवगम्यात्ममायया । आत्मा श्वपाकतां नीतो दर्शितं तच्च चापलम्॥८.

Dharma said: "Understanding your future hardship by my own power, I myself led you to the state of an outcaste and revealed that fickleness to you."

; इन्द्र उवाच प्रार्थ्यते यत् परं स्थानं समस्तैर्मनुजैर्भुवि । तदारोह हरिश्चन्द्र स्थानं पुण्यकृतां नृणाम्॥८.

Indra said: "Ascend, O Harishchandra, to that supreme place which is sought by all men on earth—the realm attained by the righteous."