Markandeya Purana

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—'

ततो यथाभिलषितं वरमेनं प्रयच्छ नौ । मृता कुवलयाश्वस्य पत्नी देव ! मदालसा ॥ २३.

'Then grant us this boon as we desire: O god, let Madālasā, wife of the deceased Kuvalayāśva, become—'

तेनैव वयसा सद्यो दुहितृत्वं प्रयातु मे । जातिस्मरा यथा पूर्वं तद्वत्कान्तिसमन्विता । योगिनी योगमाता च मद्गेहे जायतां भव ॥ २३.

'—my daughter at once, in the same age as before, with memory of her past life, endowed with the same beauty, and let her be born in my house as a yoginī and mother of yogins.'

महादेव उवाच यथोक्तं पन्नगश्रेष्ठ ! सर्वेमेतद्भविष्यति । मत्प्रसादादसन्दिग्धं श्रुणु चेदं भुजङ्गम ॥ २३.

Mahādeva said: 'As you have spoken, O best of serpents, so shall it be, without doubt, by my grace. Now hear this, O serpent.'

श्राद्धे तु समनुप्राप्ते मध्यमं पिण्डमात्मना । भक्षयेथाः फणिश्रेष्ठ ! शुचिः प्रयतमानसः ॥ २३.

'When the śrāddha ceremony is performed, you, O best of serpents, should eat the middle rice-ball yourself, with purity and focused mind.'

भक्षिते तु ततस्तस्मिन् भवतो मध्यमात्फणात् । समुत्पत्स्यति कल्याणी तथारूपा यथामृता ॥ २३.

'When you have eaten it, from the middle of your hood, she of auspicious form, just as before, shall arise.'

कामञ्चेममभिध्याय कुरु त्वं पितृतर्पणम् । तत्क्षणादेव सा सुभ्रूः श्वसतो मध्यमात्फणात् ॥ २३.

'While thinking of her, perform the ancestral offering; at that very moment, she of beautiful brows will emerge from the middle of your hood, breathing forth.'

समुत्पत्स्यति कल्याणी तथारूपा यथामृता । एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततस्तौ तु प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम् ॥ २३.

A virtuous woman will arise, just as beautiful as Amrita; hearing this, the two then bowed to the great Lord.

रसातलं पुनः प्राप्तौ परितोषसमन्वितौ । तथा च कृतवान् श्राद्धं स नागः कम्बलानुजः ॥ २३.

They returned again to the netherworld, filled with satisfaction; and thus the serpent Kambala’s younger brother performed the śrāddha ritual.

पिण्डञ्च मध्यमं तद्वद्यथावदुपभुक्तवान् । तञ्चापि ध्यायः कामं ततः सा तनुमध्यमा ॥ २३.

He properly consumed the middle portion of the rice-ball offering, and as he meditated upon her with desire, that slender-waisted woman—

जज्ञे निश्वसतः सद्यस्तद्रूपा मध्यमात्फणात् । न चापि कथयामास कस्यचित्स भुजङ्गमः ॥ २३.

Was instantly born from the middle hood as he exhaled, taking that very form; and the serpent did not tell anyone about her.

अन्तर्गृहे तां सुदतीं स्त्रीभिर्गुप्तामधारयत् । तौ चानुदिनमागम्य पुत्रौ नागपतेः सुखम् ॥ २३.

He kept that lovely-toothed woman, guarded by other women, within the inner chambers; and the two sons of the serpent lord came daily, happily.

ऋतध्वजेन सहितौ चिक्रीडातेऽमराविव । एकदा तु सुतौ प्राह नागराजो मुदान्वितः ॥ २३.

Together with Ṛtadhvaja, they played like immortals; and one day, the serpent king, filled with joy, spoke to his sons.

यन्मया पूर्वमुक्तन्तु क्रियते किं न तत्तथा । स राजपुत्रो युवयोरुपकारी ममान्तिकम् ॥ २३.

"Why is it that what I previously said is not being done? That prince, your benefactor, should be brought to me."

कस्मान्नानीयते वत्सावुपकाराय मानदः । एवमुक्तौ ततस्तेन पित्रा स्नेहवता तु तौ ॥ २३.

"Why is the prince, the bestower of honor, not brought here for your benefit, my children?" Thus addressed by their affectionate father, the two—

गत्वा तस्य पुरं सख्यू रेमाते तेन धीमता । ततः कुवलयाश्वं तौ कृत्वा किञ्चित्कथान्तरम् ॥ २३.

Went to his city and enjoyed themselves with that wise prince as friends; then, after some conversation with Kuvalayāśva—

अब्रूतां प्रणयोपेतं स्वगेहगमनं प्रति । तावाह नृपपुत्रोऽसौ नन्विदं भवतोर्गृहम् ॥ २३.

They affectionately spoke to him about returning to their own home; but the prince said to them, "Is not this your home?"

धनवाहनवस्त्रादि यन्मदीयं तदेव वाम् । यत्तु वां वाञ्छितं दातुं धनं रत्नमथापि वा ॥ २३.

"All my wealth, vehicles, garments, and so on are yours; whatever you desire to receive—be it wealth or jewels—"

तद्दीयतां द्विजसुतौ यदि वां प्रणयो मयि । एतावताहं दैवेन वञ्चितोऽस्मि दुरात्मना ॥ २३.

"Let it be given to you, O brahmin youths, if you have affection for me; for in this alone have I been deceived by fate, O wicked one—"

यद्भवद्भ्यां ममत्वं नो मदीये क्रियते गृहे । यदि वां मत्प्रियं कार्यमनुग्राह्योऽस्मि वां यदि ॥ २३.

"That you do not treat my house as your own; if you consider me dear, or if I am to be favored by you—"

तद्धने मम गेहे च ममत्वमनुकल्प्यताम् । युवयोर्यन्मदीयं तन्मामकं युवयोः स्वकम् ॥ २३.

"Then let my wealth and my house be regarded as your own; what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine."