संसारार्णवमग्नानां पोतभूता सनातनी । जगत्त्रये सारभूता योगिनी व्रतकारिणाम्
It is the eternal boat for those immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, the essence among the three worlds, and the best among vows for practitioners.
कथयामि तवाग्रेऽहं कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । अलकायां राजराजः शिवभक्तिपरायणः
I will tell you, here and now, the auspicious ancient story: In Alakā, there was a king of kings, devoted to the worship of Śiva.
तस्यासीत्पुष्पबटुको हेममालीति नामतः । तस्य पत्नी सुरूपा च विशालाक्षीति नामतः
He had a servant named Puṣpabaṭuka, called Hemamālī; his wife, beautiful and wide-eyed, was named Viśālākṣī.
स तस्यां चासक्तमना कामपाशवशं गतः । मानसात्पुष्पनिचयमानीय स्वगृहे स्थितः
He became infatuated with her, bound by the noose of desire, and, gathering flowers in his mind, remained at home.
पत्नीप्रेमरसासक्तो न कुबेरालयं गतः । कुबेरो देवसदने करोति शिवपूजनम्
Absorbed in the nectar of his wife's love, he did not go to Kubera's abode; Kubera, in the divine assembly, was performing worship of Shiva.
मध्याह्नसमये राजन्पुष्पागमसमीक्षकः । हेममाली स्वभवने रमते कांतया सह
At midday, O King, as he watched for the arrival of flowers, Hemamali enjoyed himself at home together with his beloved.
यक्षराट्प्रत्युवाचाथ कालातिक्रमकोपितः । कस्मान्नायाति भो यक्षा हेममाली दुरात्मवान् । निश्चयः क्रियतामस्य इत्युवाच पुनः पुनः
Then the lord of the Yakshas, angered by the delay, spoke: 'Why does that wicked Yaksha Hemamali not come? Decide what is to be done with him,' he said again and again.
यक्षा ऊचुः - वनिताकामुको गेहे रमते स्वेच्छया नृप । तेषां वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य कुबेरः कोपपूरितः
The Yakshas said: 'He, enamored with his wife, delights at home as he pleases, O King.' Hearing their words, Kubera was filled with rage.
आह्वयामास तं तूर्णं बटुकं हेममालिनम् । ज्ञात्वा कालात्ययं सोऽपि भयव्याकुललोचनः
He immediately summoned that attendant, Hemamali; realizing his delay, Hemamali came, his eyes anxious with fear.
अस्नात एव आगत्य कुबेरस्याग्रतः स्थितः । तं दृष्ट्वा धनदः क्रुद्धः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः
Without bathing, he came and stood before Kubera; seeing him, the lord of wealth, his eyes red with anger, was enraged.
प्रत्युवाच रुषाविष्टः कोपप्रस्फुरिताधरः । धनद उवाच- आः पाप दुष्ट दुर्वृत्त कृतवान्देवहेलनम्
Seized by wrath, his lips quivering with rage, the lord of wealth spoke: 'Ah! Wicked, evil, ill-behaved one, you have shown disrespect to the gods.'
अष्टादशकुष्ठवृतो वियुक्तः कांतया तया । अस्मात्स्थानादपध्वस्तो गच्छ स्वप्नमथाधम
Afflicted with eighteen kinds of leprosy, separated from that wife, cast out from this place—go, wretched one, and sleep elsewhere.
इत्युक्ते वचने तस्य तस्मात्स्थानात्पपात सः । महादुःखाभिभूतश्च कुष्ठैः पीडितविग्रहः
When these words were spoken, he fell from that place, overwhelmed by great sorrow, his body tormented by leprosy.
न सुखं दिवसे तस्य न निद्रां लभते निशि । छायायां पीडिततनुर्निदाघेऽत्यंतपीडितः
He found no happiness by day, nor could he sleep at night; his body, afflicted, suffered in the shade and was tormented in the heat.
शिवपूजाप्रभावेन स्मृतिस्तस्य न लुप्यते । पातकेनाभिभूतोऽपि पूर्वं कर्म स्मरत्यसौ
By the power of his worship of Shiva, his memory was not lost; though overcome by sin, he remembered his former deeds.
भ्रममाणस्ततो गच्छन्हिमाद्रिं पर्वतोत्तमम् । तत्रापश्यन्मुनिवरं मार्कंडेयं तपोनिधिम्
Wandering thus, he went to the supreme mountain, Himalaya, and there he saw the great sage Markandeya, a treasury of austerity.
यस्यायुर्विद्यते राजन्ब्रह्मणो वयसा समम् । ववंदे चरणौ तस्य दूरतः पापकर्मकृत्
Whose lifespan, O King, is equal to that of Brahma himself; from a distance, the sinner bowed to his feet.
मार्कंडेयो मुनिवरो दृष्ट्वा तं कंपितं तथा । परोपकरणार्थाय समाहूयेदमब्रवीत्
The eminent sage Markandeya, seeing him trembling so, called him near for the sake of helping others and spoke these words:
कस्मात्कुष्ठाभिभूतस्त्वं कुतो निंद्यतरो ह्यसि । इत्युक्तः स प्रत्युवाच मार्कंडेयं महामुनिम्
'Why are you afflicted with leprosy? How have you come to such a wretched state?' Thus addressed, he replied to the great sage Markandeya.
हेममाल्युवाच- राजराजस्यानुचरो हेममालीति नामतः । मानसात्पद्मनिचयमानीय प्रत्यहं मुने
Hemamali said: 'I am an attendant of the king of kings, known by the name Hemamali; each day, O sage, I would bring a collection of lotuses from Lake Manasa.'
शिवपूजनवेलायां कुबेराय समर्पये । एकस्मिन्दिवसे चैव कालश्चाविदितो मया
'At the time of Shiva's worship, I would present them to Kubera; but on one day, I lost track of time.'
पत्नीसौख्यप्रसक्तेन शोकव्याकुलचेतसा । ततः क्रुद्धेन शप्तोऽस्मि राजराजेन वै मुने
'Absorbed in the pleasures of my wife, my mind distressed by sorrow, I was then cursed in anger by the king of kings, O sage.'
कुष्ठाभिभूतः संजातो वियुक्तः कांतया तया । अधुना तव सान्निध्यं प्राप्तोऽस्मि शुभकर्मणा
Afflicted by leprosy, separated from my beloved, I have now, by virtuous deeds, come into your presence.
सतां स्वभावतश्चित्तं परोपकरणे क्षमम् । इति ज्ञात्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ मां प्रशाधि कृतागसम्
It is the nature of the virtuous, O best of sages, that their minds are inclined to helping others; knowing this, forgive me, who has committed wrong.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- त्वया सत्यमिह प्रोक्तं नासत्यं भाषितं यतः । अतो व्रतोपदेशं ते कथयामि शुभप्रदम्
Markandeya said: What you have spoken here is true, for you have not uttered a falsehood; therefore, I shall instruct you in a vow that bestows auspiciousness.
आषाढे कृष्णपक्षे तु योगिनीव्रतमाचर । अस्य व्रतस्य पुण्येन कुष्ठं यास्यति वै ध्रुवम्
In the dark fortnight of Ashadha, observe the Yogini Vow; by the merit of this vow, your leprosy will certainly be removed.
इति वाक्यमृषेः श्रुत्वा दंडवत्पतितो भुवि । उत्थापितः स मुनिना बभूवातीव हर्षितः
Hearing the sage’s words, he fell to the ground in prostration; raised up by the sage, he became exceedingly joyful.
मार्कंडेयोपदेशेन व्रतं तेन कृतं यथा । अष्टादशेव कुष्ठानि गतानि तस्य सर्वशः
By Markandeya’s instruction, he performed the vow as prescribed, and all eighteen types of leprosy left him completely.
मुनेर्वाचा ततः सम्यग्व्रते चीर्णेऽभवत्सुखी । ईदृग्विधं नृपश्रेष्ठ कथितं योगिनीव्रतम्
By the sage’s words and by rightly observing the vow, he became happy; thus, O best of kings, the Yogini Vow has been described.
अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि द्विजान्भोजयते तु यः । तत्समं फलमाप्नोति योगिनीव्रतकृन्नरः
Whoever feeds eighty-four thousand brahmins attains the same result as a man who observes the Yogini Vow.