Markandeya Purana

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."

एतत्सत्यं विजानीतं युवां प्राणा बहिश्चराः । पुनर्नैवं विभिन्नार्थं वक्तव्यं द्विजसत्तमौ ॥ २३.

"Know this as truth, you both are as dear as my own life; never again, O best of brahmins, should you speak of separation in this way."

मत्प्रसादपरौ प्रीत्या शापितौ हृदयेन मे । ततः स्नेहार्द्रवदनौ तावुभौ नागनन्दनौ ॥ २३.

"With my heart full of affection, you are both bound by my favor;" then, with faces wet with affection, the two sons of the serpent lord—

ऊचतुर्नृपतेः पुत्रं किञ्चित्प्रणयकोपितौ । ऋतध्वज ! न सन्देहो यथैवाह भवानिदम् ॥ २३.

Said to the prince, somewhat affectionately and with a touch of reproach: "Ṛtadhvaja, there is no doubt, just as you have said—"

तथैव चास्मन्मनसि नात्र चिन्त्यमतोऽन्यथा । किन्त्वावयोः स्वयं पित्रा प्रोक्तमेतन्महात्मना ॥ २३.

"So it is in our minds; there is no thought otherwise; but this was spoken to us by our own father, the great-souled one."

द्रष्टुं कुवलयाश्वं तमिच्छामीति पुनः पुनः । ततः कुवलयाश्वोऽसौ समुत्थाय वरासनात् । यथाह तातेति वदन् प्रणाममकरोद्भुवि ॥ २३.

Again and again he said, 'I wish to see Kuvalayashva.' Then Kuvalayashva arose from his excellent seat, saying, 'As you command, father,' and bowed down to the ground.

कुवलयाश्व उवाच धन्योऽहमतिपुण्योऽहं कोऽन्योऽस्ति सदृशो मया । यत्तातो मामभिद्रष्टुं करोति प्रवणं मनः ॥ २३.

Kuvalayashva said: 'I am blessed, I am most fortunate—who else is equal to me, when my father so eagerly desires to see me?'

तदुत्तिष्ठत गच्छामस्ताताज्ञां क्षणमप्यहम् । नातिक्रान्तुमिहेच्छामि पद्भ्यां तस्य शपाम्यहम् ॥ २३.

'Let us rise and go; I do not wish to delay, even for a moment, in fulfilling my father's command. I swear by my feet to this.'

जड उवाच एवमुक्त्वा ययौ सोऽथ सह ताभ्यां नृपात्मजः । प्राप्तश्च गोमतीं पुण्यां निर्गम्य नगराद्बहिः ॥ २३.

Jaḍa said: Having spoken thus, the prince departed together with the two of them, and, leaving the city, they reached the sacred Gomati river.

तन्मध्येन ययुस्ते वे नागेन्द्रनृपनन्दनाः । मेने च राजपुत्रोऽसौ पारे तस्यास्तयोर्गृहम् ॥ २३.

Those sons of the king of serpents traveled through the middle of it, and the prince thought their home was on the far shore.

ततश्चाकृष्य पातालं ताभ्यां नीतो नृपात्मजः । पाताले ददृशे चोभौ स पन्नगकुमारकौ ॥ २३.

Then, drawing him down to the netherworld, the two brought the prince, and there he saw both the serpent princes.

फणामणिकृतोद्योतौ व्यक्तस्वस्तिकलक्षणौ । विलोक्य तौ सुरूपाङ्गौ विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः ॥ २३.

Their hoods shone with jewel-crests, clearly marked with the sign of the svastika; seeing their handsome forms, his eyes widened in astonishment.

विहस्य चाब्रवीत्प्रेम्णा साधु भो द्विजसत्तमौ । कथयामासतुस्तौ च पितरं पन्नगेश्वरम् ॥ २३.

Smiling with affection, he said, 'Well done, O best of Brahmins!' And those two began to tell him about their father, the lord of serpents.

शान्तमश्वतरं नाम माननीयं दिवौकसाम् । रमणीयं ततोऽपस्यत्पातालं स नृपात्मजः ॥ २३.

There he saw the honored Ashvatara, esteemed among the gods; then the prince beheld the beautiful netherworld.

कुमारैस्तरुणैर्वृद्धैरुरगैरुपशोभितम् । तथैव नागकन्याभिः क्रीडन्तीभिरितस्ततः ॥ २३.

It was adorned with young and old serpent youths, and likewise with naga maidens playing here and there.

चारुकुण्डलहाराभिस्ताराभिर्गगनं यथा । गीतशब्दैस्तथान्यत्र वीणावेणुस्वनानुगैः ॥ २३.

With lovely earrings and garlands, shining like stars in the sky; elsewhere, there were songs accompanied by the sounds of vinas and flutes.

मृदङ्गपणवातोद्यं हारिवेश्मशताकुलम् । वीक्षमाणः स पातालं ययौ शत्रुजितः सुतः ॥ २३.

The houses of the serpents were filled with the music of drums and lutes; as he gazed upon the netherworld, the son of Shatrujit proceeded onward.

सह ताभ्यामभीष्टाभ्यां पन्नगाभ्यामरिन्दमः । ततः प्रविश्य ते सर्वे नागराजनिवेशनम् ॥ २३.

With those two beloved serpents, the subduer of enemies entered together into the palace of the serpent king.

ददृशुस्ते महात्मानमुरगाधिपतिं स्थितम् । दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं मणिकुण्डलभूषणम् ॥ २३.

There they saw the great-souled lord of serpents, adorned with divine garlands and garments, and jeweled earrings.

स्वच्छमुक्ताफललताहारिहारोपशोभितम् । केयूरिणं महाभागमासने सर्वकाञ्चने ॥ २३.

He was splendid with necklaces of pure pearl creepers, wearing armlets, most glorious, seated upon a golden throne.

मणिविद्रुमवैदूर्यजालान्तरितरूपके । स ताभ्यां दर्शितस्तस्य तातोऽस्माकमसाविति ॥ २३.

His form was adorned with nets of jewels, coral, and cat's-eye gems; the two showed him, saying, 'This is our father.'