Markandeya Purana

तत्र मात्रात्रयं सर्वमस्ति यद्देवि नास्ति च । त्रयो लोकास्त्रयो वेदास्त्रैविद्यं पावकत्रयम् ॥ २३.

There, O Goddess, all that exists and does not exist is contained within the three measures; the three worlds, the three Vedas, the threefold knowledge, and the three kinds of fire.

त्रीणि ज्योतींषि वर्णाश्च त्रयो धर्मागमास्तथा । त्रयो गुणास्त्रयः शब्दस्त्रयो वेदास्तथाश्रमाः ॥ २३.

Three lights, three colors, and likewise three sources of Dharma; three qualities, three sounds, three Vedas, and the three stages of life.

त्रयः कालास्तथावस्थाः पितरोऽहर्निशादयः । एतन्मात्रात्रयं देवि ! तव रूपं सरस्वति ॥ २३.

Three times, three states, the ancestors, day and night, and so on—this triple measure, O Goddess Sarasvati, is your very form.

विभिन्नदर्शिनामाद्या ब्रह्मणो हि सनातनाः । सोमसंस्था हविः संस्थाः पाकसंस्थाश्च सप्त याः ॥ २३.

The original, eternal forms of Brahman are seen differently by various seers: the seven Soma sacrifices, the seven oblations, and the seven cooked offerings.

तास्त्वदुच्चारणाद्देवि ! क्रियन्ते ब्रह्मवादिभिः । अनिर्देश्यं तथा चान्यदर्धमात्रान्वितं परम् ॥ २३.

These, O Goddess, are performed by speakers of Brahman through your utterance; and there is another, indescribable, supreme form, endowed with the half-measure.

अविकार्यक्षयं दिव्यं परिणामविवर्जितम् । तवैतत्परमं रूपं यन्न शक्यं मयोदितुम् ॥ २३.

Unchanging, imperishable, divine, free from transformation—this is your supreme form, which I am unable to describe.

न चास्ये न च तज्जिह्वा ताम्रोष्ठादिभिरुच्यते । इन्द्रोऽपि वसवो ब्रह्मा चन्द्रार्कौ ज्योतिरेव च ॥ २३.

It is not said to have a tongue, nor red lips, nor any such features; even Indra, the Vasus, Brahma, the Moon, the Sun, and the very light itself—

विश्वावासं विश्वरूपं विश्वेशं परमेश्वरम् । सांख्यवेदान्तवादोक्तं बहुशाखास्थिरीकृतम् ॥ २३.

The universal abode, the universal form, the Lord of the universe, the Supreme Lord—spoken of in the doctrines of Samkhya and Vedanta, established in many branches.

अनादिमध्यनिधनं सदसन्न सदेव यत् । एकन्त्वनेकं नाप्येकं भवभेदसमाश्रैतम् ॥ २३.

Without beginning, middle, or end; existent and nonexistent, and yet only existent; one and yet many, not even one, embracing all forms of becoming.

अनाख्यं षड्गुणाख्यञ्च वर्गाख्यं त्रिगुणाश्रयम् । नानाशक्तिमतामेकं शक्तिवैभविकं परम् ॥ २३.

Nameless, called the sixfold, classified as groups, based on the three qualities; the one among those with manifold powers, the supreme, endowed with the glory of power.

सुखासुखं महासौख्यरूपं त्वयि विभाव्यते । एवं देवि ! त्वया व्याप्तं सकलं निष्कलञ्च यत् । अद्वैतावस्थितं ब्रह्म यच्च द्वैते व्यवस्थितम् ॥ २३.

Both happiness and unhappiness, the form of supreme bliss, are perceived in you; thus, O Goddess, all that is manifest and unmanifest is pervaded by you—Brahman established in nonduality, and that which is established in duality.

येऽर्था नित्या ये विनश्यन्ति चान्ये ये वा स्थूला ये च सूक्ष्मातिसूक्ष्माः । ये वा भूमौ येऽन्तरीक्षेऽन्यतो वा तेषां तेषां त्वत्त एवोपलब्धिः ॥ २३.

Whatever objects are eternal, and others that perish; those that are gross, and those that are subtle or most subtle; those on earth, in the sky, or elsewhere—all these are known only through you.

यच्चामूर्तं यच्च मूर्तं समस्तं यद्वा भूतेष्वेकमेकञ्च किञ्चित् । यद्दिव्यस्ति क्ष्मातले खेऽन्यतो वा त्वत्सम्बद्धं त्वत्स्वरैर्व्यञ्जनैश्च ॥ २३.

Whatever is formless and whatever is formed, all of it; whatever is one or manifold among beings; whatever is divine, on earth, in the sky, or elsewhere—all is connected to you, expressed through your sounds and letters.

जड उवाच एवं स्तुता तदा देवी विष्णोर्जिह्वा सरस्वती । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं नागमश्वतरं ततः ॥ २३.

Jaḍa said: Thus praised, the Goddess Sarasvati, the tongue of Vishnu, then addressed the great-souled serpent Ashvatara.

सरस्वत्युवाच वरं ते कम्बलभ्रातः प्रयच्छाम्युरगाधिप ! । तदुच्यतां प्रदास्यामि यत्ते मनसि वर्तते ॥ २३.

Sarasvati said: O brother of Kambala, lord of serpents, I grant you a boon; speak, and I will give whatever is in your mind.

अश्वतर उवाच सहायं देहि देवि ! त्वं पूर्वं कम्बलमेव मे । समस्तस्वरसम्बन्धमुभयोः संप्रयच्छ च ॥ २३.

Ashvatara said: O Goddess, first grant me Kambala as a companion; and bestow upon both of us the connection with all the notes.

सरस्वत्युवाच सप्त स्वरा ग्रामरागाः सप्त पन्नगसत्तम ! । गीतकानि च सप्तैव तावतीश्चापि मूर्च्छनाः ॥ २३.

Sarasvati said: O best of serpents, the seven notes, the musical modes, the seven songs, and likewise the same number of scales.

तालाश्चैकोनपञ्चाशत्तथा ग्रामत्रयञ्च यत् । एतत्सर्वं भवान् गाता कम्बलश्च तथानघ ! ॥ २३.

Fifty-one tālas, as well as three grāmas—this entire knowledge, O sinless one, you and Kambala shall receive.

ज्ञास्यसे मत्प्रसादेन भुजगेन्द्रापरं तथा । चतुर्विधं पदं तालं त्रिः प्रकारं लयत्रयम् ॥ २३.

By my grace you shall also know the supreme art of serpent-music, the fourfold measure, the tāla, the three kinds of tempo, and the threefold rhythm.

गतित्रयं तथा तालं मया दत्तं चतुर्विधम् । एतद्भवान्मत्प्रसादात्पन्नगेन्द्रापरञ्च यत् ॥ २३.

The three types of gait and the fourfold tāla have been given by me; all this, together with the supreme serpent-music, you shall receive by my favor.

अस्यान्तर्गतमायत्तं स्वरव्यञ्जनसंमितम् । तदशेषं मया दत्तं भवतः कम्बलस्य च ॥ २३.

All that is contained within it, dependent on it, and marked by notes and accents—I have given it all, to you and to Kambala.

तथा नान्यस्य भूर्लोके पाताले चापि पन्नग । प्रणेतारौ भवन्तौ च सर्वस्यास्य भविष्यतः । पाताले देवलोके च भूर्लोके चैव पन्नगौ ॥ २३.

And, O serpent, in the world of mortals or in the netherworld, there will be no others; you two alone shall be the masters of all this, in Pātāla, in the world of gods, and among mortals, O serpents.

जड उवाच इत्युक्त्वा सा तदा देवी सर्वजिह्वा सरस्वती । जगामादर्शनं सद्यो नागस्य कमलेक्षणा ॥ २३.

Jaḍa said: Having spoken thus, the goddess Sarasvatī, mistress of all speech, vanished at once from the sight of the serpent, her eyes like lotuses.

तयोश्च तद्यथावृत्तं भ्रात्रोः सर्वमजायत । विज्ञानमुभयोरग्र्यं पदतालस्वरादिकम् ॥ २३.

And all that had transpired became manifest to the two brothers; supreme knowledge of meter, measure, notes, and the rest arose in both.

ततः कैलासशैलेन्द्रशिखरस्थितमीश्वरम् । गीतकैः सप्तभिर्नागौ तन्त्रीलयसमन्वितौ ॥ २३.

Then the two serpents, skilled in the seven modes of song and endowed with string and rhythm, sought to worship the Lord who dwells atop Mount Kailāsa.

आरिराधयिषू देवमनङ्गाङ्गहरं हरम् । प्रचक्रतुः परं यत्नमुभौ संहतवाक्कलौ ॥ २३.

Desiring to please the god, the destroyer of Kāma, both together exerted the utmost effort, uniting their voices and skill.

प्रातर्निशायां मध्याह्ने सन्ध्ययोश्चापि तत्परौ । तयोः कालेन महता स्तूयमानो वृषध्वजः ॥ २३.

In the morning, at night, at midday, and at the twilights, they remained devoted; over a long time, as they sang his praises, the bull-bannered Lord was pleased.

तुतोष गीतकैस्तौ च प्राहेशो गृह्यतां वरः । ततः प्रणम्याश्वतरः कम्बलेन समं तदा ॥ २३.

Pleased by their songs, the Lord spoke: 'Choose a boon.' Then, bowing together, Aśvatara and Kambala addressed him.

व्यज्ञापयन्महादेवं शितिकण्ठमुमापतिम् । यदि नौ भगवान् प्रीतो देवदेवस्त्रिलोचनः ॥ २३.

They petitioned the great god, the blue-throated Lord, husband of Umā: 'If the three-eyed God of gods is pleased with us—'