Markandeya Purana

पुत्रावूचतुः इत्येवं वादिभिः पौरैः पुरः पृष्ठे च संवृतः । तत्क्षणप्रभवानन्दः प्रविवेश पितुर्गृहम् ॥ २३.

Thus, surrounded before and behind by citizens speaking in this way, he entered his father's house, joy arising in that very moment.

पिता च तं परिष्वज्य माता चान्ये च बान्धवाः । चिरं जीवेति कल्याणीर्ददुस्तस्मै तदाशिषः ॥ २३.

His father embraced him, as did his mother and other relatives, and they gave him auspicious blessings, wishing him long life.

प्रणिपत्य ततः सोऽथ किमेतदिति विस्मितः । पप्रच्छ पितरं तात ! सोऽस्मै सम्यक्तदुक्तवान् ॥ २३.

Then, bowing down and amazed, he asked his father, 'What is this?' And his father told him everything properly.

स भार्यां तां मृतां श्रुत्वा हृदयेष्टां मदालसाम् । पितरौ च पुरो दृष्ट्वा लज्जाशोकाब्धिमध्यगः ॥ २३.

Hearing that his beloved wife Madalasa had died, and seeing his parents before him, he was overcome by a sea of shame and grief.

चिन्तयामास सा बाला मां श्रुत्वा निधनं गतम् । तत्याज जीवितं साध्वी धिङ्मां निष्ठुरमानसम् ॥ २३.

He thought, 'That young woman, hearing that I had died, gave up her life—virtuous one! Shame on me, with my harsh heart.'

नृशंसोऽहमनार्योऽहं विना तां मृगलोचनाम् । मत्कृते निधनं प्राप्तां यज्जीवाम्यतिनिर्घृणः ॥ २३.

'I am cruel, I am ignoble, living without her, the doe-eyed one, who died because of me—how utterly pitiless I am!'

पुनः स चिन्तयामास परिसंस्तभ्य मानसम् । मोहोद्गममपास्याशु निः श्वस्योच्छवस्य चातरः ॥ २३.

Again he began to reflect, steadying his mind, quickly casting off the surge of delusion, sighing and breathing deeply in distress.

मृतेति सा मन्निमित्तं त्यजामि यदि जीवितम् । किं मयोपकृतं तस्याः श्लाघ्यमेतत्तु योषिताम् ॥ २३.

'If, because of me, she died and gave up her life, what worthy deed have I done for her? This is truly praiseworthy among women.'

यदि रोदिमि वा दीनो हा प्रियेति ! वदन्मुहुः । तथाप्यश्लाघ्यमेतन्नो वयं हि पुरुषाः किल ॥ २३.

'If I, miserable, weep again and again, crying, "Ah, my beloved!"—even so, this is not praiseworthy, for we are men, after all.'

अथ शोकजडो दीनोऽसृजा हीनो मलान्वितः । विपक्षस्य भविष्यामि ततः परिभवास्पदम् ॥ २३.

'Or, dulled by grief, dejected, unclean and wretched, I would become a laughingstock for my enemies, a target for their scorn.'

मयारिशातनं कार्यं राज्ञः शुश्रुषणं पितुः । जीवितं तस्य चायत्तं सन्त्याज्यं तत्कथं मया ॥ २३.

'I must destroy the enemies, serve the king, my father; his life depends on me—how, then, could I abandon it?'

किन्त्वत्र मन्ये कर्तव्यस्त्यागो भागस्य योषितः । स चापि नोपकाराय तन्वङ्ग्याः किन्तु सर्वथा ॥ २३.

However, I think here the duty is to renounce the share belonging to the woman; and this too is not for her benefit, O slender one, but in every way.

मया नृशंस्यं कर्तव्यं नोपकार्यपकारि च । या मदर्थेऽत्यजत्प्राणांस्तदर्थेऽल्पमिदं मम ॥ २३.

I must perform this act of compassion, not for reward or harm; she gave up her life for my sake—this small thing is for her.

पुत्रावूचतुः इति कृत्वा मतिं सोऽथ निष्पाद्योदकदानिकम् । क्रियाश्चानन्तरं कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच ऋतध्वजः ॥ २३.

The sons spoke thus. Then, having made up his mind, he performed the water-offering; and after completing the subsequent rites, Ṛtadhvaja spoke.

ऋतध्वज उवाच यदि सा मम तन्वङ्गी न स्याद्भार्या मदालसा । अस्मिन् जन्मनि नान्या मे भवित्री सहचारिणी ॥ २३.

Ṛtadhvaja said: If that slender-limbed woman, Madālasā, is not my wife, then in this life I shall have no other companion.

तामृते मृगशावाक्षीं गन्धर्वतनयामहम् । न भोक्ष्ये योषितं काञ्चिदिति सत्यं मयोदितम् ॥ २३.

Except for her, the fawn-eyed daughter of the Gandharva, I will not enjoy any other woman—this is the truth I declare.

सद्धर्मचारिणीं पत्नीं तां मुक्त्वा गजगामिनीम्,। काञ्चिन्नाङ्गीकरिष्यामीत्येतत्सत्यं मयोदितम् ॥ २३.

Leaving aside that elephant-gaited wife, who walks in righteousness, I will not accept any other—this is the truth I declare.

पुत्रावूचतुः परित्यज्य च स्त्रीभोगान् तात ! सर्वंस्तया विना । क्रीडन्नास्ते समं तुल्यैर्वयस्यैः शीलसम्पदा ॥ २३.

The sons spoke: Having renounced all pleasures with women, father, he lives, playing with his peers of equal virtue, without her.

एतत्तस्य परं कार्यं तात ! तत्केन शक्यते । कर्तुमत्यर्थदुष्प्राप्यमीश्वरैः किमुतेतरैः ॥ २३.

This is his highest duty, father! Who is able to accomplish it? It is extremely difficult to attain, even for gods, let alone others.

जड उवाच इति वाक्यं तयोः श्रुत्वा विमर्शमगमत्पिता । विमृश्य चाह तौ पुत्रौ नागराट्प्रहसन्निव ॥ २३.

Jaḍa spoke: Hearing these words from the two, their father reflected; and after considering, he spoke to his sons, the king of Nāgas, as if smiling.

नागराडश्वतर उवाच यद्यशक्यमिति ज्ञात्वा न करिष्यन्ति मानवाः । कर्मण्युद्यममुद्योगहान्या हानिस्ततः परम् ॥ २३.

The Nāga king Aśvatara said: If, knowing something is impossible, men do not act, then all effort and enterprise in action is lost, and that is the greatest loss.

आरभेत नरः कर्म स्वपौरुषमहापयन् । निष्पत्तिः कर्मणो दैवे पौरुषे च व्यवस्थिता ॥ २३.

A man should undertake action, pouring forth his own strength; the outcome of action depends both on destiny and on human effort.

तस्मादहं तथा यत्नं करिष्ये पुत्रकावितः । तपश्चर्यां समास्थाय यथैतत्साध्यतेऽचिरात् ॥ २३.

Therefore, my sons, I will exert myself accordingly; undertaking austerity, I will strive so that this may soon be accomplished.

जड उवाच एवमुक्त्वा स नागेन्द्रः प्लक्षावतरणं गिरेः । तीर्थं हिमवतो गत्वा तपस्तेपे सुदुश्चरम् ॥ २३.

Jaḍa spoke: Thus having spoken, the lord of Nāgas went to the sacred place Plakṣāvataraṇa on the Himavat mountain, and performed severe austerities.

तुष्टाव गीर्भिश्च ततस्तत्र देवीं सरस्वतीम् । तन्मना नियताहारो भूत्वा त्रिषवणाप्लुतः ॥ २३.

There, with his mind focused, observing regulated food, and bathing three times daily, he praised the goddess Sarasvatī with hymns.

अश्वतर उवाच जगद्धात्रीमहं देवीमारिराधयिषुः शुभाम् । स्तोष्ये प्रणम्य शिरसा ब्रह्मयोनिं सरस्वतीम् ॥ २३.

Aśvatara said: I wish to propitiate the auspicious goddess, the mother of the world; I will praise Sarasvatī, the source of Brahmā, bowing my head.

सदसद्देवि ! सत्किञ्चिन्मोक्षवच्चार्थवत्पदम् । तत्सर्वं त्वय्यसंयोगं योगवद्देवि ! संस्थितम् ॥ २३.

O goddess, existent and non-existent! The true, the little, the liberating, the meaningful—everything that is not united with you, O goddess, is established as if by yoga.

त्वमक्षरं परं देवि ! यत्र सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । अक्षरं परमं देवि ! संस्थितं परमाणुवत् ॥ २३.

You are the imperishable, supreme goddess, in whom all is established; the imperishable, supreme, established as the ultimate atom.

अक्षरं परमं ब्रह्म विश्वञ्चैतत्क्षरात्मकम् । दारुण्यवस्थितो वह्निर्भौमाश्च परमाणवः ॥ २३.

The imperishable, supreme Brahman, and this entire universe is of the nature of the perishable; fire abides in wood, and the ultimate atoms are in the earth.