He entered household life with firm resolve, embodying peace, self-control, and a sense of fulfillment. His wife, devoted in mind, speech, and body, served her husband with unwavering dedication. In due course, after ten months, she gave birth to a son endowed with supreme brilliance. The parents performed all the auspicious birth rites, carefully following the prescribed rules. When the boy reached his fifth year, they joyfully initiated him into learning and sacred duties. The father instructed him, “O son, you must always greet the twice-born with respect, as tradition prescribes. Perform your Vedic duties, always preceded by diligent study of the Vedas. Avoid what is forbidden, such as improper speech and similar faults. Bear no hatred towards anyone; act always for the welfare of all beings.” Thus did the great sage Mārkaṇḍeya receive his father’s instructions. Mārkaṇḍeya grew to be greatly fortunate, compassionate, and ever devoted to righteousness. He became self-controlled, peaceful, and deeply wise, understanding the essence of all principles. With his mind thus cultivated, the wise Markandeya worshipped the Lord of the universe. For this reason, that sage Markandeya is remembered as Narayana. In the course of time, when the world became a single vast ocean, Janardana manifested his own divine power. Markandeya, the intelligent son of Mrikandu, remained there, steadfast in his devotion to Vishnu, for as long as Hari himself lay resting. The duration of that time is said to be ten and five twinklings of the eye; thirty such moments make one ‘ghatika’. A month consists of thirty days, divided into two fortnights. By this reckoning, a year is formed, which is considered a single day for the gods. For the ancestors, a day equals a month of humans. A divine yuga comprises twelve thousand years of the gods, and a manvantara is made up of seventy-one such divine yugas. The night is as long as the day. Understand that whatever is measured by a thousand human years—so too are a month and a year reckoned for the Creator. The day of Vishnu is to be known in this way, and his night is of equal length. Meditating on the supreme Self, Markandeya remained in the presence of Hari. In the form of Brahma, Hari created this world, both moving and unmoving. Witnessing this, Markandeya was astonished and supremely delighted; he bowed at the feet of Hari. With words cherished and fitting, he praised the One whose form is eternal bliss: “I bow to Vāsudeva, the supportless, the destroyer of people. I bow to Janārdana, who is inconceivable and indescribable. I bow to Janārdana, who is composed of all realities and is peaceful. I bow to Janārdana, whose form is higher than the highest. I bow to Janārdana, who is the one supreme form of all. I bow to Janārdana, who is all, eternal, and the best. I bow to Janārdana, who is formless and of many forms. I bow to Janārdana, the original god, the lord.