Markandeya Purana

तस्माद्यत्सुकृतं किञ्चिन्ममास्ति त्रिदशाधिप । तेन मुच्यन्तु नरकात्पापिनो यातनां गताः ॥ १५.

Therefore, O lord of the gods, whatever merit I possess, by that may those sinners who are suffering in hell be released.

इन्द्र उवाच एवमूर्ध्वतरं स्थानं त्वयावाप्तं महीपते । एतांश्च नरकात्पश्य विमुक्तान् पापकारिणः ॥ १५.

Indra said: Thus, O king, you have attained an even higher state; see these evil-doers released from hell.

पुत्र उवाच ततोऽपतत्पुष्पवृष्टिस्तस्योपरि महीपतेः । विमानञ्चाधिरोप्यैनं स्वर्लोकमनयद्धरिः ॥ १५.

The son said: Then a shower of flowers fell upon that king, and, after placing him in a celestial chariot, Hari took him to heaven.

अहञ्चान्ये च ये तत्र यातनाभ्यः परिच्युताः । स्वकर्मफलनिर्दिष्टं ततो जात्यन्तरं गताः ॥ १५.

I, and others there who were released from those torments, entered another birth as determined by the fruits of our own actions.

एवमेते समाख्याता नरका द्विजसत्तम । येन येन च पापेन यां यां योनिमुपैति वै ॥ १५.

Thus, O best of twice-born, I have described these hells, and the particular wombs one attains according to each sin.

तत्तत्सर्वं समाख्यातं यथा दृष्टं मया पुरा । पुरानुभवजं ज्ञानमवाप्यावितथं तव । अतः परं महाभाग किमन्यत्कथयामि ते ॥ १५.

All this has been explained, just as I saw it before; I have given you knowledge born of past experience, unfailing and true. O fortunate one, what else shall I tell you now?

16(16) पितोवाच कथितं मे त्वया वत्स संसारस्य व्यवस्थितम् । स्वरूपमतिहेयस्य घटीयन्त्रवदव्ययम्॥१६.

The father said: My child, you have described to me the established nature of worldly existence—its true form, unchanging, like a water-clock mechanism, and bewildering to the mind.

तदेवमेतदखिलं मयावगतमीदृशम् । किं मया वद कर्तव्यमेवस्मिन् व्यवस्थिते॥१६.

Thus, I have fully understood all this as you have explained it. Tell me, what should I do now, given this established order?

पुत्र उवाच यदि मद्वचनं तात श्रद्दधास्यविशङ्कितः । तत् परित्यज्य गार्हस्थ्यं वानप्रस्थपरो भव॥१६.

The son said: If you trust my words without doubt, father, then renounce household life and devote yourself to the life of a forest-dweller.

तमनुष्ठाय विधिवद् विहायाग्निपरिग्रहम् । आत्मन्यात्मानमाधया निर्द्वन्द्वो निष्परिग्रहः॥१६.

Having performed the proper rites, and giving up the keeping of sacred fires, establish your self in your own self, free from dualities and possessions.

एकान्तराशी वश्यात्मा भव भिक्षुरतन्द्रितः । तत्र योगापरो भूत्वा बाह्यस्पर्शविवर्जितः॥१६.

Be one who eats little, self-controlled, a tireless mendicant; there, devoted to yoga, avoid contact with external objects.

ततः प्राप्स्यति तं योगं दुः शसंयोगभेषजम् । मुक्तिहेतुमनौपम्यमनाख्येयमसङ्गिनम् । यत्संयोगान्न ते योगो भूयो भूतैर्भविष्यति॥१६.

Then you will attain that yoga, the remedy for the suffering of union with pain, the incomparable and indescribable cause of liberation, unattached; and by that union, you will not again be joined with the elements.

पितोवाच वत्स योगं ममाचक्ष्व मुक्तिहेतुमतः परम् । येन भूतैः पुनर्भूतो नेदृगः खमवाप्नुयाम्॥१६.

The father said: My child, explain to me that yoga, the supreme cause of liberation, by which, having become free from the elements, I will not again enter such a state.

यत्रासक्तिपरस्यात्मा मम संसारबन्धनैः । नैति योगमयोगोऽपि तं योगमधुना वद॥१६.

Tell me now of that yoga in which, even for one attached, the self is not bound by the fetters of worldly existence, whether in yoga or not.

संसारादित्यतापार्ति-विप्लुष्यद्देहमानसम् । ब्रह्मज्ञानाम्बुशीतेन सिञ्च मां वाक्यवारिणा॥१६.

My body and mind are scorched by the burning pain and distress of worldly existence; sprinkle me with the cool water of words, the water of knowledge of Brahman.

अविद्याकृष्णसर्पेण दष्टं तद्विषपीडितम् । स्ववाक्यामृतपानेन मां जीवय पुनर्मृतम्॥१६.

Bitten by the black serpent of ignorance, tormented by its poison, revive me—who am as if dead—by the nectar of your words.

पुत्र-दार-गृह-क्षेत्र-ममत्वनिगजडार्दितम् । मां मोचयेष्टसद्भाव-विज्ञानोद्घाटनैस्त्वरन्॥१६.

Afflicted by the stupefying elephant of attachment to son, wife, house, and land, quickly free me by unlocking the true knowledge of the real and the good.

पुत्र उवाच शृणु तात ! यथा योगो दत्तात्रेयेण धीमता । अलर्काय पुरा प्रोक्तः सम्यक् पृष्टेन विस्तरात्॥१६.

The son said: Listen, father, to the yoga as taught by the wise Dattatreya to Alarka long ago, when he was properly questioned in detail.

पितोवाच दत्तात्रेयः सुतः कस्य कथं वा योगमुक्तवान् । कश्चालर्को महाभागो यो यौगं परिपृष्टवान्॥१६.

The father said: Whose son is Dattatreya, and how did he teach yoga? Who is this fortunate Alarka who questioned him about yoga?

पुत्र उवाच कौशिको ब्राह्मणः कश्चित् प्रतिष्ठानेऽभवत् पुरे । सोऽन्यजन्मकृतैः पापैः कुष्ठरोगातुरोऽभवत्॥१६.

The son said: There was a certain Brahmin named Kaushika in the city of Pratishthana; because of sins from previous births, he became afflicted with leprosy.

तं तथा व्याधितं भार्या पतिं देवमिवार्च्चयत् । पादाभ्यङ्गाङ्गसंवाह-स्त्रानाच्छादनभोजनैः॥१६.

Though he was thus diseased, his wife served her husband like a god, with foot massages, rubbing his limbs, bathing, clothing, and feeding him.

श्लेष्म-मूत्र-पुरीषासृक्-प्रवाहक्षालनेन च । रहश्चैवोपचारेण प्रियसम्भाषणेन च॥१६.

By washing away phlegm, urine, feces, and blood, and by attending to him in private, and by speaking affectionately to him.

स तया पूज्यमानोऽपि सदातीव विनीतया । अतीव तीव्रकोपत्वान्निर्भर्त्सयति निष्ठुरः॥१६.

Even though he was honored by her, always exceedingly humble, he, because of his intense anger, harshly rebuked her.

तथापि प्रणता भार्या तममन्यत दैवतम् । तं तथाप्यतिबीभत्सं सर्वश्रेष्ठममन्यत॥१६.

Nevertheless, the devoted wife regarded him as her deity; even though he was exceedingly dreadful, she considered him the greatest of all.

अचङ्क्रमणशोलोऽपि स कदाचिद् द्विजोत्तमः । प्राह भार्यां नयस्वेति त्वं मां तस्या निवेशनम्॥१६.

Although unable to walk, that best of twice-born at some time said to his wife, 'Take me to her dwelling.'

या सा वेश्या मया दृष्टा राजमार्गे गृहोषिता । तां मां प्रापय धर्मज्ञे ! सैव मे हृदि वर्तते॥१६.

'That courtesan whom I saw on the royal road, who lives in a house—bring me to her, O knower of dharma! She alone dwells in my heart.'

दृष्टा सूर्योदये बाला रात्रिश्चेयमुपागता । दर्शनानन्तरं सा मे हृदयान्नापसर्पति॥१६.

'The girl seen at sunrise has now arrived at night; after seeing her, she does not depart from my heart.'

यदि सा चारुसर्वाङ्गी पीनश्रोणिपयोधरा । नोपगूहति तन्वङ्गी तन्मां द्रक्ष्यसि वै मृतम्॥१६.

'If that beautiful woman, with full hips and breasts, does not embrace me, O slender one, you will surely see me dead.'

वामः कामो मनुष्याणां बहुभिः प्रार्थ्यते च सा । ममाशक्तिश्च गमने सङ्कुलं प्रतिभाति मे॥१६.

'Desire is fickle among men, and she is sought by many; my inability to go makes the path seem difficult to me.'