न ह्येष च सदाचारो देवेष्वपि ममोचितः। मां ब्रह्मापि हि सस्नेहो दीर्घायुरिति भाषते
For such conduct is not proper, even among the gods, towards me; even Brahma, with affection, declares me to be long-lived.
कस्तपोघोरमासाद्य ममाद्य त्यक्तजीवितः। मार्कंडेयेति मामुक्त्वा मृत्युमीक्षितुमर्हसि
Who, having attained terrible austerity, dares to call me Markandeya and wishes to see my death today, as if my life were forfeit?
एवं प्रक्षुभितः क्रोधान्मार्कंडेयो महामुनिः। तदैनं भगवान्भूयो बभाषे मधुसूदनः
Thus, greatly agitated with anger, the great sage Markandeya spoke; then the Blessed Lord Madhusudana addressed him again.
श्रीभगवानुवाच। अहं ते जनको वत्स हृषीकेशः पिता गुरुः। आयुः प्रदाता पौराणः किं मां त्वं नोपसर्पसि
The Blessed Lord said: 'I am your father, child, Hrishikesha, your teacher; I am the ancient giver of life—why do you not approach me?'
मां पुत्रकामः प्रथमं त्वत्पितांगिरसो मुनिः। पूर्वमाराधयामास तपस्तीव्रं समाश्रितः
Desiring a son, your father, the sage Angiras, first worshipped me, undertaking severe austerities.
तं दृष्ट्वा घोरतपसं त्रिदशोत्तमतेजसम्। दत्तवांस्त्वामहं पुत्रं महर्षिममितौजसम्
Seeing him engaged in terrible penance, shining with supreme brilliance among the gods, I granted you to him as a son, a great sage of immeasurable energy.
कस्समुत्सहते चान्यो योगिभूतात्मगात्मकम्। द्रष्टुमेकार्णवगतं क्रीडंतं योगमायया
Who else is capable of beholding, besides a yogi whose self has become one with the Supreme Self, you sporting by your yogic power in the midst of the single ocean?
ततः प्रहृष्टहृदयो विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः। मूर्ध्नि बद्धांजलिपुटो मार्कंडेयो माहातपाः
Then Markandeya, the great ascetic, his heart delighted and eyes wide with wonder, with hands joined upon his head,
नामगोत्रे तु संप्रोच्य दीर्घायुर्लोकपूजितः। तस्मै भगवते भक्त्या नमस्कारमथाकरोत्
Having spoken his name and lineage, long-lived and honored by the world, he offered his reverent salutation to that Blessed Lord with devotion.
मार्कंडेय उवाच। इच्छामि तत्त्वतो ज्ञातुमिमां मायां तवानघ। यदेकार्णवमध्यस्थः शेषे त्वं बालरूपवान्
Markandeya said: I wish to know truly this illusion of yours, O sinless one—how, situated in the midst of the single ocean, you appear in the form of a child.
किं संज्ञश्चैव भगवान्लोके विज्ञायसे प्रभो। तर्कयेहं महात्मानं को ह्यन्यः स्थातुमर्हसि
And by what name, O Lord, are you known in the world? I ponder, who else but you, O great one, is fit to remain thus?
श्रीभगवानुवाच। अहं नारायणो ब्रह्मन्सर्वभूतविनाशनः। अहं सहस्रशीर्षास्यः सहस्रपदसंयुतः
The Blessed Lord said: I am Narayana, O Brahmin, the destroyer of all beings; I am the one with a thousand heads and faces, endowed with a thousand feet.
आदित्यवर्णः पुरुषो मुखे ब्रह्ममयो ह्यहम्। अहमग्निर्हव्यवहः सप्तसप्तिभिरन्वितः
I am the Purusha of the color of the sun, I am filled with Brahman in my mouth; I am Agni, the carrier of offerings, accompanied by the seven sevens.
अहमिंद्रपदः शक्र ॠतूनां परिवत्सरः। अहं योगिषु सांख्याख्यो युगांतावर्त एव च
I am the station of Indra, Shakra; among seasons, I am the year; among yogis, I am called Sankhya; I am also the cycle at the end of the ages.
अहं सर्वाणि सत्वानि दैवतान्यखिलानि च। भुजगानामहं शेषस्तार्क्ष्योऽहं सर्वपक्षिणाम्
I am all beings, and all the deities without exception; among serpents, I am Sesha; among all birds, I am Garuda.
कृतांतः सर्वभूतानां विज्ञेयः कालसंज्ञितः। अहं धर्मस्तपश्चाहं सर्वाश्रमनिवासिनाम्
I am Death for all beings, known as Time; I am Dharma and I am austerity among all who dwell in the ashramas.
अहं दया परोधर्मः क्षीरोदोहं महार्णवः। यत्सत्यं तत्परं त्वेक अहमेव प्रजापतिः
I am compassion, the highest virtue; I am the ocean of milk, the great expanse of water; whatever is supreme truth, I alone am that, and I am the Lord of creatures.
अहं सांख्यमहं योगो ह्यहं तत्परमं पदम्। अहमिज्या क्रिया चाहमहं विद्याधिपः स्मृतः
I am Sankhya, I am Yoga, I am that supreme state; I am sacrifice and ritual, and I am known as the lord of knowledge.
अहं ज्योतिरहं वायुरहं भूमिरहं जलम्। आकाशोहं समुद्राश्च नक्षत्राणि दिशो दश
I am light, I am wind, I am earth, I am water; I am space, the oceans, the stars, and the ten directions.
अहं वर्षमहं सोमः पर्जन्योहमहं रविः। अहं पुराणं परमं तथैवाहं परायणम्
I am rain, I am Soma, I am the rain-cloud, I am the sun; I am the ancient, the supreme, and likewise I am the ultimate refuge.
भविष्ये चापि सर्वत्र भविष्यत्सर्वसंग्रहः। यत्किंचित्पश्यसे विप्र यच्छृणोषि च किंचन
In the future also, everywhere, I will be the sum of all that will exist; whatever you see, O sage, and whatever you hear,
यच्चानुभवसे लोके तत्सर्वं मामनुस्मर। विश्वं सृष्टं मया पूर्वं सृजेद्यापि च पश्य माम्
And whatever you experience in the world, remember all that as me; the universe was created by me in the beginning, and even now, see me as the creator.
युगे युगे च रक्षामि मार्कंडेयाखिलं जगत्। तदेतत्कथितं सर्वं मार्कंडेयावधारय
In every age, O Markandeya, I protect the entire world; all this has now been told to you, Markandeya, understand it well.
शुश्रूषुरपि धर्मेषु कुक्षौ चरसुखं मम। मम ब्रह्मा शरीरस्थो देवाश्च ॠषिभिः सह
Even while listening to the teachings of dharma, I found delight within; Brahma abides in my body, along with the gods and the sages.
व्यक्तमव्यक्तयोगं मामवगच्छ मुरद्विषम्। अहमेकाक्षरो मंत्रस्त्र्यक्षरश्च पितामहः
Understand me, the enemy of Mura, as the manifest and unmanifest union; I am the single imperishable syllable, the three-syllabled mantra, and the grandsire.
परस्त्रिवर्गओंकारः परमात्मप्रदर्शनः। एवमादिपुराणं च वदतेमां महामते
The supreme Om, the threefold aim, the revelation of the supreme self—all this, O wise one, is spoken of in the ancient Purana.
वक्त्रं यातो भगवतो मार्कंडेयो महामुनिः। ततो भगवतः कुक्षिं प्रविष्टो मुनिसत्तमः
The great sage Markandeya entered the mouth of the Blessed Lord; then that best of sages entered the belly of the Lord.
तस्यासम्मुखमेकान्ते शुश्रूषुर्हंसमव्ययम्। यदक्षयं विविधमुपाश्रितं तु तन्महार्णवे व्यपगतचंद्रभास्करे
There, before him and apart, he listened to the imperishable Hamsa; all that was imperishable and manifold was sheltered in that great ocean, where the moon and sun had vanished.
शनैश्चरन्प्रभुरथ हंससंज्ञितः सृजन्जगद्विहरति कालपर्यये। अथ चैवं शुचिर्भूत्वा वरयामास वै तपः
Slowly moving, the Lord known as Hamsa creates and wanders through the worlds in the course of time; then, having become pure, he undertook austerities.
छादयित्वात्मनो देहं पयसांबुजसंभवः। ततो महात्मातिबलो मर्त्यलोकविसर्जने
Covering his own body, the one born from the lotus of the waters, that great and exceedingly powerful soul then set forth the world of mortals.