सूत उवाच- साधु पृष्टं महाभागाः प्रयागं प्रति सुव्रताः । हंताहं तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रयागस्योपवर्णनम्
Sūta said: Well asked, O greatly fortunate and virtuous ones, regarding Prayāga; now I shall indeed describe the account of Prayāga.
मार्कंडेयेन कथितं यत्पुरा पांडुसूनवे । भारते तु यदा वृत्ते प्राप्तराज्ये पृथासुते
What was formerly told by Mārkaṇḍeya to the son of Pāṇḍu, when he had obtained the kingdom after the events in the Bhārata—
एतस्मिन्नंतरे राजा कुंतीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । भ्रातृशोकेन संतप्तः चिंतयंस्तु पुनः पुनः
Meanwhile, King Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī, afflicted with grief for his brothers, kept pondering again and again.
आसीद्दुर्योधनो राजा एकादशचमूपतिः । अस्मान्संतप्य बहुशः सर्वे ते निधनं गताः
Duryodhana was the king, commander of eleven armies; he tormented us greatly, and all of them have met their end.
वासुदेवं समाश्रित्य पंचशेषास्तु पांडवाः । कथं द्रोणं च भीष्मं च कर्णं चैव महाबलम्
Relying on Vāsudeva, the five Pāṇḍavas remained; how could we have slain Droṇa, Bhīṣma, and mighty Karṇa?
दुर्योधनं च राजानं भ्रातृपुत्रसमन्वितम् । राजानो निहताः सर्वे ये चान्ये शूरमानिनः
And King Duryodhana, together with his brothers and sons; all the kings have been slain, as well as others who considered themselves heroes.
विना राज्येन कर्तव्यं किं भोगैर्जीवितेनवा । धिक्कष्टमिति संचिंत्य राजा विह्वलतां गतः
Without a kingdom, what use are pleasures or even life itself? Thinking thus, 'Fie, how wretched!' the king became overwhelmed with distress.
निश्चेष्टोऽथ निरुत्साहः किं चित्तिष्ठत्यधोमुखः । लब्धसंज्ञो यदा राजा चिंतयानः पुनः पुनः
Then, motionless and dispirited, he sat with his head bowed; when the king regained his senses, he pondered again and again.
कं चरे विधिना योगं नियमं तीर्थमेव वा । येनाहं शीघ्रमामुच्ये महापातककिल्बिषात्
By what means—through discipline, yoga, or pilgrimage—can I quickly be freed from the great sin of terrible wrongdoing?
यत्र स्नात्वा नरो याति विष्णुलोकमनुत्तमम् । कथं पृच्छामि वै कृष्णं येनेदं कारितं महत्
Where, after bathing, does a man attain the supreme world of Vishnu? How shall I ask Krishna, by whom this great act was accomplished?
धृतराष्ट्रं कथं पृच्छे यस्य पुत्रशतं हतम् । व्यासं कथमहं पृच्छे यस्य गोत्रक्षयः कृतः
How can I question Dhritarashtra, whose hundred sons were slain? How can I ask Vyasa, whose lineage has been destroyed?
एवं वैक्लव्यमापन्नो धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । रुदंतः पांडवाः सर्वे भ्रातृशोकपरिप्लुताः
Thus, overcome by despair, Yudhishthira, son of Dharma, wept, and all the Pandavas, filled with grief for their brother, wept as well.
ये च तत्र महात्मानः समेताः पांडवाश्रिताः । कुंती च द्रौपदी चैव ये च तत्र समागताः
And those great souls gathered there, who had taken refuge with the Pandavas—Kunti, Draupadi, and all who were assembled—
भूमौ निपतिताः सर्वे रोदमानाः समंततः । वाराणस्यां तु मार्कंडस्तेन ज्ञातो युधिष्ठरः
All of them fell to the ground, weeping all around; and in Varanasi, Markandeya came to know of Yudhishthira's state.
यथाविक्लवमापन्नो रोदमानः सुदुःखितः । अचिरेणैव कालेन मार्कंडस्तु महातपाः
Seeing how he was overcome by despair, weeping and deeply afflicted, Markandeya, the great ascetic, soon set out.
हस्तिनापुर संप्राप्तो राजद्वारे स तिष्ठति । द्वारपालोऽपि तं दृष्ट्वा राज्ञः कथितवान्द्रुतम्
He arrived at Hastinapura and stood at the royal gate; the doorkeeper, seeing him, quickly informed the king.
त्वां द्रष्टुकामो मार्कंडो द्वारे तिष्ठत्यसौ मुनिः । त्वरितो धर्मपुत्रस्तु द्वारमेत्याह तत्परः
"Markandeya, the sage, stands at the gate, wishing to see you." The son of Dharma, eager, went swiftly to the door.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- स्वागतं ते महाप्राज्ञ स्वागतं ते महामुने । अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे पावितं कुलम्
Yudhishthira said: "Welcome to you, great sage, welcome to you, O wise one! Today my birth is fruitful, today my lineage is purified."
अद्य मे पितरस्तृप्तास्त्वयि दृष्टे महामुने । सिंहासन उपस्थाप्य पादशौचार्चनादिभिः
"Today my ancestors are satisfied, having seen you, O great sage." He seated him upon a throne and performed the customary washing of feet and worship.
युधिष्ठिरो महात्मा वै पूजयामास तं मुनिम् । ततस्तमूचे मार्कण्डः पूजितोऽहं त्वया विभो
The great-souled Yudhishthira honored that sage; then Markandeya, having been worshipped, spoke to him:
आख्याहि त्वरितो राजन्किमर्थं त्वरितं त्वया । केन वा विक्लवीभूतः कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
"Tell me quickly, O king, for what purpose you have called me in haste. Why are you so troubled? Speak before me."
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- अस्माकं चैव यद्वृत्तं राज्यस्यार्थे महामुने । एतत्सर्वं विदित्वा तु भगवानिह चागतः
Yudhishthira said: "O great sage, you know all that has happened to us for the sake of the kingdom. Knowing all this, you have come here, O venerable one."
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाबाहो यत्र धर्मो व्यवस्थितः । नैव दृष्टं रणे पापं युध्यमानस्य धीमतः
Markandeya said: "Hear, O king of mighty arms, where righteousness stands firm. No sin is seen in battle for the wise who fight."
किं पुना राजधर्मेण क्षत्रियस्य विशेषतः । तदेवं हृदये कृत्वा तस्मात्पापं न चिंतयेत्
"How much more so for a kshatriya, especially in the duty of kingship! Bearing this in your heart, do not think of sin."
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् । पृच्छामि त्वां मुनिश्रेष्ठ सदा त्रैकाल्यदर्शनम् । कथयस्व समासेन मुच्येऽहं येन किल्बिषात्
Then King Yudhishthira, bowing his head to the sage, said: I ask you, O best of sages, who sees all three times—tell me briefly by what means I may be freed from sin.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाभाग यन्मां पृच्छसि भारत । एवं सांख्यं च योगं च तीर्थं चैव युधिष्ठिर
Markandeya said: Hear, O fortunate king of the Bharatas, what you have asked me—about Sāṅkhya, Yoga, and the holy place, O Yudhishthira.
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणैः पुण्यैः कीर्तितं वै पुरा विभो । प्रयागगमनं श्रेष्ठं नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
What, then, is praised by the virtuous Brahmins of old? Among all meritorious acts, the journey to Prayaga is considered supreme for men.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि पुराकल्पे यथास्थितम् । कथं प्रयागगमनं नराणां तत्र कीदृशम्
Yudhishthira said: O blessed one, I wish to hear as it was in ancient times—how is the journey to Prayaga for men, and what is it like there?
मृतानां का गतिस्तत्र स्नातानां चैव किं फलम् । ये वसंति प्रयागे तु ब्रूहि तेषां च किं फलम् । एतन्मे सर्वमाख्याहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
What is the fate of those who die there, and what is the fruit for those who bathe? Tell me also the result for those who dwell in Prayaga. Relate all this to me, for I am greatly curious.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- कथयिष्यामि ते वत्स नाथेष्टं यच्च यत्फलम् । पुरा ऋषीणां विप्राणां कथ्यमानं मया श्रुतम्
Markandeya said: I shall tell you, dear one, what is most desired and its fruit, as I once heard it recounted among the sages and Brahmins.