Markandeya Purana

; पक्षिण ऊचुः एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं हरिश्चन्द्रविचेष्टितम् । अतः परं कथाशेषः श्रूयतां मुनिसत्तम॥८.

The birds said: All this, the deeds of Hariścandra, have been told to you. Now, O best of sages, listen to the remainder of the tale.

विपाको राजसूयस्य पृथिवीक्षयकारणम् । तद्विपाकनिमित्तञ्च युद्धमाडिबकं महत्॥८.

The result of the rājasūya sacrifice, the cause of the destruction of the earth, and the great war called the battle of the Āḍibakas—these are the results to be heard.

पक्षिण ऊचुः राज्यच्युते हरिश्चन्द्रे गते च त्रिदशालयम् । निश्चक्राम महातेजा जलवासात् पुरोहितः॥९.

The birds said: When Hariścandra was deprived of his kingdom and had gone to the abode of the gods, the illustrious priest emerged from his watery dwelling.

वशिष्ठो द्वादशाब्दान्ते गङ्गापर्युषितो मुनिः । शुश्राव च समस्तन्तु विश्वामित्रविचेष्टितम्॥९.

Vasiṣṭha, the sage, having dwelt by the Ganges for twelve years, heard all that Viśvāmitra had done.

हरिश्चन्द्रस्य नाशञ्च राज्ञश्चोदारकर्मणः । चण्डालसम्प्रयोगञ्च भार्यातनयविक्रयम्॥९.

He heard of the destruction of Hariścandra, the generous king, his association with outcastes, and the sale of his wife and son.

स श्रुत्वा सुमाहभागः प्रीतिमानवनीपतौ । चकार कोपं तेजस्वी विश्वामित्रमृषिं प्रति॥९.

Hearing this, the exceedingly fortunate king became pleased, but the radiant sage grew angry toward Vishvamitra.

वशिष्ठ उवाच मम पुत्रशतं तेन विश्वामित्रेण घातितम् । तत्रापि नाभवत् क्रोधस्तादृशो यादृशोऽद्य मे॥९.

Vashishtha said: My hundred sons were slain by Vishvamitra, yet even then my anger was not as fierce as it is today.

श्रुत्वा नराधिपमिमं स्वराज्यादवरोपितम् । महात्मानं महाभागं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम्॥९.

Upon hearing that this noble king, great-souled and devoted to the worship of gods and Brahmins, had been deprived of his sovereignty,

यस्मात् स सत्यवाक् शान्तः शत्रावपि विमत्सरः । अनागाश्चैव धर्मात्मा अप्रमत्तो मदाश्रयः॥९.

Because he was truthful, peaceful, free from envy even toward enemies, sinless, righteous, vigilant, and self-controlled,

सपत्नीभृत्यपुत्रस्तु प्रापितोऽन्त्यां दशां नृपः । स राज्याच्च्यावितोऽनेन बहुशश्च खिलीकृतः॥९.

The king, along with his wives, servants, and sons, was brought to the lowest state; he was cast out from his kingdom by that one and repeatedly humiliated.

तस्माद् दुरात्मा ब्रह्मद्विट् प्राज्ञानामवरोपितः । मच्छापोपहतो मूढः स बकत्वमवाप्स्यति॥९.

Therefore, that wicked soul, enemy of Brahmins, who was cast down by the wise, struck by my curse, will become a crane.

पक्षिण ऊचुः श्रुत्वा शापं महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽपि कौशिकः । त्वमप्याडिर्भवस्तेवति प्रतिशापमयच्छत॥९.

The birds said: Hearing the curse, the mighty Vishvamitra, descendant of Kusha, also cursed you in return, saying, 'You too shall become a heron.'

अन्योऽन्यशापात् तौ प्राप्तौ तिर्यक्त्वं परमद्युती । वशिष्ठः स महातेजा विश्वामित्रश्च कौशिकः॥९.

By cursing each other, those two of great brilliance—Vashishtha and Vishvamitra, the descendant of Kusha—attained the state of animals.

अन्यजातिसमायोगं गतावप्यमितौजसौ । युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ महाबलपराक्रमौ॥९.

Though they had entered other forms, those two of boundless energy, filled with intense wrath, fought fiercely, displaying immense strength and valor.

योजनानां सहस्रे द्वे प्रमाणेनाडिरुच्छ्रितः । यन्नवत्यधिकं ब्रह्मन् ! सहस्रत्रितयं बकः॥९.

The heron stood two thousand yojanas tall, O Brahmin, while the crane measured three thousand and ninety yojanas.

तौ तु पक्षप्रहाराभ्यामन्योन्यस्योरुविक्रमौ । प्रहरन्तौ भयं तीव्रं प्रजानाञ्चक्रतुस्तदा॥९.

With blows from their wings, those two mighty ones struck each other, causing intense fear among all creatures.

विधूय पक्षाणि बको रक्तोद्वृत्ताक्षिराहनत् । आडिं सोऽप्युन्नतग्रीवो बकं पद्भ्यामताडयत्॥९.

The crane, shaking its wings, struck with bloodshot eyes; the heron, with its neck held high, struck the crane with its feet.

तयोः पक्षानिलापास्ताः प्रपेतुर्गिरयो भुवि । गिरिप्रपाताभिहता चकम्पे च वसुन्धरा॥९.

Driven by the wind from their wings, mountains fell to the earth; struck by the mountain falls, the earth trembled.

क्ष्मा कम्पमाना जलधीनुद्वृत्ताम्बूंश्चकार च । ननाम चैकपार्श्वेन पातालगमनोन्मुखी॥९.

The trembling earth caused the oceans to surge with rising waters, and she leaned to one side, ready to descend into the netherworld.

केचिदिगरिनिपातेन केचिदम्भोधिवारिणा । केचिन्महीसञ्चलनात् प्रययुः प्राणिनः क्षयम्॥९.

Some perished from falling mountains, some from the waters of the ocean, and some from the shaking of the earth.

इति सर्वं परित्रस्तं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । जगदासीत् सुसम्भ्रान्तं पर्यस्तक्षितिमण्डलम्॥९.

Thus, everything became terrified, lifeless, and confused; the world was greatly disturbed, and the earth's sphere was overturned.

हा वत्स ! हा कान्त ! शिशो ! प्रयाह्येषोऽस्मि संस्थितः । हा प्रिये ! कान्त ! शैलोऽयं पतत्याशु पलायताम्॥९.

'Alas, child! Alas, beloved! O infant, flee, for I am about to perish! Alas, dear one! Beloved! This mountain is falling—run swiftly!'

इत्याकुलीकृते लोके संत्रासविमुखे तदा । सुरैः परिवृतः सर्वैराजगाम पितामहः॥९.

When the world was thus thrown into turmoil and terror, surrounded by all the gods, the Grandfather (Brahma) arrived.

प्रत्युवाच च विश्वेशास्तावुभावतिकोपितौ । युद्धं वा विरमत्वेतल्लोकाः स्वास्थ्यं व्रजन्तु च॥९.

The Lord of all the worlds addressed them both, who were greatly enraged, saying: 'Cease this battle, and let the worlds return to their peace.'

शृण्वन्तावपि तौ वाक्यं ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कोपामर्षसमाविष्टो युयुधाते न तस्थतुः॥९.

Though they heard the words of Brahmā, the one born from the Unmanifest, both, overcome by anger and wrath, did not desist but continued to fight.

ततः पितामहो देवस्तं दृष्ट्वा लोकसंक्षयम् । तयोश्च हितमन्विच्छन् तिर्यग्भावमपानुदत्॥९.

Then the god, Grandfather (Brahmā), seeing the destruction of the worlds and wishing for their welfare, dispelled the hostile state between the two.

ततस्तौ पूर्वदेहस्थौ प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः । व्युदस्ते तामसे भावे वशिष्ठ०-कौशिकर्षभौ॥९.

Then the god Prajāpati, seeing them in their former bodies, spoke: 'O Vasiṣṭha and Kauśika, you have been freed from the state of darkness.'

जहि वत्स वशिष्ठ त्वं त्वञ्च कौशिक सत्तम । तामसं भावमाश्रित्य ईदृग्युद्धं चिकीर्षितम्॥९.

'Desist, dear Vasiṣṭha, and you too, noble Kauśika; under the influence of darkness you both sought such a battle.'

राजसूयविपाकोऽयं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः । युवयोर्विग्रहश्चायं पृथिवीक्षयकारकः॥९.

'This conflict is the result of the rājasūya sacrifice of King Hariścandra; your quarrel is causing the destruction of the earth.'