आदित्याश्च ततस्तेषां विहिताः प्रपितामहाः। त्रिविधा अपि आहूय पुनरुक्ता विरिंचिना
And the Adityas, they are their great-grandfathers. All three groups, having been summoned, were again addressed by Virinchi.
भवद्भिः पिंडदानाद्यं ग्राह्यमत्र स्थितैस्सदा। यत्कृतं पितृकार्यं च तदनंतफलं भवेत्
By you, the offering of the funeral cake and other rites should always be accepted here. Whatever ancestral rite is performed here yields endless fruit.
वृत्यर्थं पितरस्तेषां तुष्टाश्चैव पितामहाः। लभंते तर्पणात्तृप्तिं पिंडदानात्त्रिविष्टपम्
For the sake of sustenance, their fathers and grandfathers, satisfied, receive fulfillment from the offering of oblations and attain heaven through the gift of rice balls.
तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य प्राचीने पिंडदो भवेत्। दत्वा पुत्रः प्रयत्नेन पितॄन्सर्वांश्च तर्पयेत्
Therefore, abandoning everything, one should become a giver of rice balls in the east; having given, the son should diligently satisfy all the ancestors.
प्राचीनेश्वरदेवस्य पुरोभूतं प्रतिष्ठितम्। आदितीर्थं तदित्युक्तं दर्शनादपि मुक्तिदम्
Before the lord of the east, established there, is the original holy place, so it is said; even by seeing it, liberation is granted.
स्पृष्ट्वा तु सलिलं तत्र मुच्यते जन्मबंधनात्। अवगाहनाद्ब्रह्मणोऽसौ भवत्यनुचरः सदा
By touching the water there, one is freed from the bondage of birth; by immersion, one always becomes an attendant of Brahma.
आदितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा यः प्रदद्यात्समाधिना। अन्नमल्पमपि प्रायः प्रायशस्स्वर्गमाप्नुयात्
Whoever bathes at the original holy place and gives even a little food with concentration, he generally attains heaven.
यस्तत्र ब्रह्मभक्तानां नरः स्नात्वा ददेद्धनम्। कृसेरणापि हेम्ना च स स्वर्गे मोदते सुखी
Whoever, having bathed there, gives wealth to devotees of Brahma—even a small amount or gold—he rejoices happily in heaven.
प्राचीसरस्वती तत्र नरैः किं मृग्यते परम्। तस्यां स्नानात्फलं तृप्त्यै तपोयज्ञादिलक्षणम्
Why do men seek anything higher at the eastern Sarasvati? The fruit of bathing there is satisfaction, equal to the results of austerity, sacrifice, and the like.
ये पिबंति नराः पुण्यां प्राचीं देवीं सरस्वतीम्। न ते नराः सुरा ज्ञेया मार्कंडेयर्षिरब्रवीत्
Those men who drink the sacred eastern goddess Sarasvati are not to be regarded as mere mortals, so said the sage Markandeya.
सरस्वती नदीं प्राप्य न स्नाने नियमः क्वचित्। भुक्ते वा न च वा भुक्ते दिवा वा यदि वा निशि
Upon reaching the Sarasvati river, there is no restriction for bathing—whether one has eaten or not, whether by day or by night.
तत्तीर्थं सर्वत्तीर्थानां प्राचीनं प्रवरं स्मृतत्। पापघ्नं पुण्यजननं प्राणिनां परिकीर्तितम्
That holy place is remembered as the foremost among all holy places in the east; it is proclaimed as destroyer of sin and generator of merit for living beings.
ये पुनर्भावितात्मानस्तत्र स्नात्वा जनार्दनम्। पूजयन्ति यथाशक्ति ते प्रयांति त्रिविष्टपम्
Those whose minds are purified, who bathe there and worship Janardana according to their ability, they go to heaven.
देवानां प्रवरो विष्णुस्तेन यत्र सरस्वती। सेविता तत्परं तीर्थं क्षितौ ब्रह्मसुतोऽब्रवीत्
Among the gods, Vishnu is foremost; where Sarasvati is served by him, that supreme holy place on earth was declared by the son of Brahma.
ततस्तस्मान्महातीर्थं मन्यमाना महोदयम्। मंदाकिनीमुदीक्षंती स्थिता तत्र सरस्वती
Therefore, considering that great holy place as Mahodaya, Sarasvati stands there, looking toward the Mandakini.
तत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानां परं स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत्। मंदाकिन्यासमं यत्र प्राप्य पुण्यसमागमम्
That holy place is declared by Svayambhu as supreme among all holy places, where one attains the congregation of merit equal to Mandakini.
तत्रस्थाने स्थिता देवैः स्तुता देवी सरस्वती। मत्वा चैकाकिनीं तां तु दीनास्यां दीनमानसां
At that place, the goddess Sarasvati, praised by the gods, stood, thinking herself alone, with a sad face and sorrowful mind.
सखीं तदाऽसृजद्ब्रह्मा रूपिणीं विमलेक्षणाम्। हरिणीं हरिरप्याशु जज्ञे कमललोचनाम्
Then Brahma created a companion for her, beautiful and pure-eyed; Hari also quickly appeared as a doe, lotus-eyed.
वज्रिणीमपि देवेशो वज्रपाणिर्विसृष्टवान्। सुकुरंगरुचिं देवो नीलकंठो वृषध्वजः1.32.
The lord of the gods, bearer of the thunderbolt, also created a companion, radiant as gold; the god with blue throat, bull-bannered, did likewise.
सखीं संजनयामास सरस्वत्यास्त्रिलोचनः। विलोक्यमाना सा राजन्सखीभिः सुरसुंदरी
The three-eyed one generated a companion for Sarasvati; being observed by her companions, she, O king, shone among the divine beauties.
प्रहृष्टा यातुमारब्धा देवादेशान्महानदी। ततः सखीभिः सार्द्धं सा प्राचीनागंतुमुद्यता
Joyfully, the gods began to set out for the great river as commanded; then, together with her companions, she prepared to go east.
सरस्वती समस्तानां तासां श्रेष्ठतमा स्मृता। प्राचीसरस्वतीतोयं ये पिबंति मृगा भुवि
Among them all, Sarasvatī is regarded as the best; the wild animals on earth who drink the water of the Eastern Sarasvatī—
तेपि स्वर्गं गमिष्यंति यज्ञैर्द्विजवरा यथा। चिंतामणिरिवात्रैषा प्राची ज्ञेया सरस्वती
—they too will go to heaven, just as the best of twice-born do through sacrifices; this Eastern Sarasvatī is to be known here as a wish-fulfilling gem.
तथा कामफलस्येयं हेतुभूता महानदी। दक्षिणां दिशमालोक्य पुनः पश्चान्मुखी गता
Thus, this great river is the cause of the fulfillment of desires; looking to the southern direction, she then turned to face west.
उक्ता तया तथा गंगा दिशं प्राचीं व्रजस्व ह। विस्मर्तव्या न चाहं ते व्रज देवि यथागतम्
By her, Gaṅgā was told: 'Go, indeed, to the eastern direction; do not forget me, and return, O goddess, as you came.'
भीष्म उवाच। मार्कंडेयेन वै रामः कथमत्र प्रबोधितः। कथं समागमो भूतः कस्मिन्काले कदा मुने
Bhīṣma said: How was Rāma instructed here by Mārkaṇḍeya? How did their meeting happen, at what time, and when, O sage?
मार्कंडेयः कस्य सुतः कथं जातो महातपाः। नाम्नोऽस्य निगमं ब्रूहि यथाभूतं महामुने
Of whom is Mārkaṇḍeya the son? How was the great ascetic born? Tell me his lineage and name as it truly was, O great sage.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। अथ ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि मार्कंडेयोद्भवं पुनः। पुराकल्पे मुनिः पूर्वं मृकंडुर्नाम विश्रुतः
Pulastya said: Now I will tell you again of the origin of Mārkaṇḍeya; in a former age, there was a renowned sage named Mṛkaṇḍu.
भृगोः पुत्रो महाभागः सभार्यस्तप्तवांस्तपः। तस्य पुत्रस्तदा जातो वसतस्तु वनांतरे
He was the greatly fortunate son of Bhṛgu, living with his wife, practicing severe austerities; while he was dwelling in the forest, a son was born to him.
सपंचवार्षिको भूतो बाल एव गुणाधिकः। ज्ञानिना स तदा दृष्टो भ्रमन्बालस्तदांगणे
When the boy was five years old, though still a child, he excelled in virtues; he was seen by a wise man as he wandered in the yard.