Narada Tells Markandeya of the Failing of Dharma

Verse 1 (13.54.1)

पुत्रैः कथं महाराज पुरुषस्तारितो भवेत् । यावन्न लब्धवान्पुत्रमफलः पुरुषो नृप ॥

putraiḥ kathaṃ mahārāja puruṣastārito bhavet | yāvanna labdhavānputramaphalaḥ puruṣo nṛpa

O great king, how is a man rescued by sons? Until he has obtained a son, a man is without fruit, O king.

Note on the text: Removed the speaker heading "`युधिष्ठिर उवाच" (with a stray backtick) printed as the first line of the verse text; it is made the speaker. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 1-2, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0001-0002.

Verse 2 (13.54.2)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नारदेन पुरा गीतं मार्कण्डेयाय पृच्छते ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | nāradena purā gītaṃ mārkaṇḍeyāya pṛcchate

On this point they tell this ancient tale, sung long ago by Narada to Markandeya, who was asking.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 3-4, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0003-0004.

Verse 3 (13.54.3)

पर्वतं नारदं चैव असितं देवलं च तम् । आरुणेयं च रैभ्यं च एतानत्रागतान्पुरा ॥

parvataṃ nāradaṃ caiva asitaṃ devalaṃ ca tam | āruṇeyaṃ ca raibhyaṃ ca etānatrāgatānpurā

Parvata and Narada, Asita and Devala, Aruneya and Raibhya: these had come together there in former times.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 5-6, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0005-0006.

Verse 4 (13.54.4)

गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये भोगवत्याः समागमे । दृष्ट्वा पूर्वं समासीनान्मार्कण्डेयोऽभ्यगच्छत ॥

gaṅgāyamunayormadhye bhogavatyāḥ samāgame | dṛṣṭvā pūrvaṃ samāsīnānmārkaṇḍeyo'bhyagacchata

Between the Ganga and the Yamuna, at the confluence with the Bhogavati, Markandeya, having first seen them seated together, approached them.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 7-8, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0007-0008.

Verse 5 (13.54.5)

ऋषयस्तु मुनिं दृष्ट्वा समुत्थायोन्मुखाः स्थिताः । अर्चयित्वाऽर्हतो विप्रं किं कुर्म इति चाब्रुवन् ॥

ṛṣayastu muniṃ dṛṣṭvā samutthāyonmukhāḥ sthitāḥ | arcayitvā'rhato vipraṃ kiṃ kurma iti cābruvan

The sages, seeing the muni, rose and stood facing him; and having honoured the worthy brahmin, they asked, "What shall we do?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 9-10, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0009-0010.

Verse 6 (13.54.6)

अयं समागमः सद्भिर्यत्नेनासादितो मया । अत्र प्राप्स्यामि धर्माणामाचारस्य च निश्चयम् ॥

ayaṃ samāgamaḥ sadbhiryatnenāsādito mayā | atra prāpsyāmi dharmāṇāmācārasya ca niścayam

"I have sought out this gathering of the good with great effort. Here I shall obtain certainty about the laws of dharma and about right conduct.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 11-12, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0011-0012.

Verse 7 (13.54.7)

ऋजुः कृतयुगे धर्मस्तस्मिन्क्षीणे विमुह्यति । युगेयुगे महर्षिभ्यो धर्ममिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥

ṛjuḥ kṛtayuge dharmastasminkṣīṇe vimuhyati | yugeyuge maharṣibhyo dharmamicchāmi veditum

In the Krita age dharma is straight; when it declines, it becomes confused. In every age I wish to learn dharma from the great sages."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 13-14, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0013-0014.

Verse 8 (13.54.8)

ऋषिभिर्नारदः प्रोक्तो ब्रूहि यत्रास्य संशयः । धर्माधर्मेषु तत्वज्ञ त्वं हि च्छेत्ता हि संशयान् ॥

ṛṣibhirnāradaḥ prokto brūhi yatrāsya saṃśayaḥ | dharmādharmeṣu tatvajña tvaṃ hi cchettā hi saṃśayān

The sages said to Narada, "Speak wherever he has a doubt. O knower of the truth in dharma and adharma, you are indeed the one who cuts through doubts."

Note on the text: Speaker kept with the narrator, Bhishma: line 1 is narration and line 2 the sages' address to Narada, so the verse is not Markandeya's speech although the page's heading (from verse 6) is Markandeya's; the CE's speaker tags for this passage fall mid-verse and do not agree with the page. Line 2 reads त्वं हि च्छेत्ता हि where the CE has त्वं हि च्छेत्तासि; recension variant, kept. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 15-16, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0015-0016.

Verse 9 (13.54.9)

ऋषिभ्योऽनुमतं वाक्यं नियोगान्नारदस्तदा । सर्वधर्मार्थतत्वज्ञं मार्कण्डेयं ततोऽब्रवीत् ॥

ṛṣibhyo'numataṃ vākyaṃ niyogānnāradastadā | sarvadharmārthatatvajñaṃ mārkaṇḍeyaṃ tato'bravīt

At the sages' bidding, Narada then spoke to Markandeya, who knew the truth of all dharma and artha, words the sages had approved.

Note on the text: Narration, so the speaker is the narrator, Bhishma (the page's heading is still Markandeya's from verse 6). Removed a stray zero-width joiner inside मार्कण्डेयं. Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 17-18, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0017-0018.

Verse 10 (13.54.10)

दीर्घायो तपसा दीप्त वेदवेदाङ्गतत्ववित् । यत्र ते संशयो ब्रह्मन्समुत्पन्नः स उच्यताम् ॥

dīrghāyo tapasā dīpta vedavedāṅgatatvavit | yatra te saṃśayo brahmansamutpannaḥ sa ucyatām

"O long-lived one, blazing with austerity, knower of the truth of the Vedas and their limbs, whatever doubt has arisen in you, O brahmin, let it be stated."

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Narada's own words to Markandeya, unheaded on the page (the page's heading is still Markandeya's from verse 6 and is printed again only at verse 12). Corrected वदेवदाङ्गतत्ववित् → वेदवेदाङ्गतत्ववित् (misprint in Wikisource; CE vedavedāṅgatattvavit). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 19-20, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0019-0020.

Verse 11 (13.54.11)

धर्मं लोकोपकारं वा यच्चान्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छसि । तदहं कथयिष्यामि ब्रूहि त्वं सुमहातपाः ॥

dharmaṃ lokopakāraṃ vā yaccānyacchrotumicchasi | tadahaṃ kathayiṣyāmi brūhi tvaṃ sumahātapāḥ

Whether it concerns dharma, or the welfare of the world, or anything else you wish to hear, I shall tell it; do you speak, O great ascetic."

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Narada's own words to Markandeya, unheaded on the page (the page's heading is still Markandeya's from verse 6 and is printed again only at verse 12). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 21-22, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0021-0022.

Verse 12 (13.54.12)

युगेयुगे व्यतीतेऽस्मिन्धर्मसेतुः प्रणश्यति । कथं धर्मच्छलेनाहं प्राप्नुयामिति मे मतिः ॥

yugeyuge vyatīte'smindharmasetuḥ praṇaśyati | kathaṃ dharmacchalenāhaṃ prāpnuyāmiti me matiḥ

"As age after age passes, the bridge of dharma is destroyed. How may I obtain it through the pretext of dharma? Such is my thought."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 23-24, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0023-0024.

Verse 13 (13.54.13)

आसीद्धर्मः पुरा विप्र चतुष्पादः कृते युगे । ततो ह्यधर्मः कालेन प्रसूतः किञ्चिदूनतः ॥

āsīddharmaḥ purā vipra catuṣpādaḥ kṛte yuge | tato hyadharmaḥ kālena prasūtaḥ kiñcidūnataḥ

"In the Krita age, O brahmin, dharma of old stood on four feet; then, in time, adharma was born, somewhat diminished.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 25-26, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0025-0026.

Verse 14 (13.54.14)

ततस्त्रेतायुगं नाम प्रवृत्तं धर्मदूषणम् ॥

tatastretāyugaṃ nāma pravṛttaṃ dharmadūṣaṇam

Then began the age called Treta, which spoils dharma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, line 27, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0027.

Verse 15 (13.54.15)

तस्मिन्नतीते सम्प्राप्तं तृतीयं द्वापरं युगम् । तदा धर्मस्य द्वौ पादावधर्मो नाशयिष्यति ॥

tasminnatīte samprāptaṃ tṛtīyaṃ dvāparaṃ yugam | tadā dharmasya dvau pādāvadharmo nāśayiṣyati

When that had passed, the third age, the Dvapara, arrived; then adharma will destroy two feet of dharma.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 28-29, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0028-0029.

Verse 16 (13.54.16)

द्वापरे तु परिक्षीणे नन्दिके समुपस्थिते । लोकवृत्तं च धर्मं च उच्यमानं निबोध मे ॥

dvāpare tu parikṣīṇe nandike samupasthite | lokavṛttaṃ ca dharmaṃ ca ucyamānaṃ nibodha me

When the Dvapara is spent and the Nandika age has set in, hear from me the ways of the world and the dharma as they will be told.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 30-31, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0030-0031.

Verse 17 (13.54.17)

चतुर्थं नन्दिकं नाम धर्मः पादावशेषितः । ततः प्रभृति जायन्ते क्षीणप्रज्ञायुषो नराः । क्षीणप्राणधना लोके धर्माचारबहिष्कृताः ॥

caturthaṃ nandikaṃ nāma dharmaḥ pādāvaśeṣitaḥ | tataḥ prabhṛti jāyante kṣīṇaprajñāyuṣo narāḥ | kṣīṇaprāṇadhanā loke dharmācārabahiṣkṛtāḥ

The fourth is called Nandika, and dharma is left with a single foot. From then on men are born with failing wisdom and short lives, their vitality and wealth spent, cast out from the practice of dharma."

Note on the text: Corrected क्षीणप्रज्ञायुपो → क्षीणप्रज्ञायुषो (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; CE kṣīṇaprajñāyuṣo). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 32-34, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0032-0034.

Verse 18 (13.54.18)

एवं विलुलिते धर्मे लोके चाधर्मसंयुते । चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य नियतं हव्यं कव्यं नियच्छति ॥

evaṃ vilulite dharme loke cādharmasaṃyute | cāturvarṇyasya niyataṃ havyaṃ kavyaṃ niyacchati

"When dharma has thus been thrown into disorder and the world is bound up with adharma, the regular oblations to the gods and offerings to the ancestors of the four classes are held back."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 35-36, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0035-0036.

Verse 19 (13.54.19)

मन्त्रपूतं सदा हव्यं कव्यं चैव न नश्यति । प्रतिगृह्णन्ति तद्देवा दातुर्न्यायात्प्रयच्छतः ॥

mantrapūtaṃ sadā havyaṃ kavyaṃ caiva na naśyati | pratigṛhṇanti taddevā dāturnyāyātprayacchataḥ

"An oblation or an offering to the ancestors that has been hallowed by mantras is never lost; the gods accept it from the giver who gives rightly.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 37-38, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0037-0038.

Verse 20 (13.54.20)

सत्वयुक्तं च दाता च सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात् । अवाप्तकामः स्वर्गे च महीयेत यथेप्सितम् ॥

satvayuktaṃ ca dātā ca sarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt | avāptakāmaḥ svarge ca mahīyeta yathepsitam

A giver who gives with a pure heart obtains all his desires, and, his desires fulfilled, is honoured in heaven as he wishes."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 39-40, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0039-0040.

Verse 21 (13.54.21)

चत्वारो ह्यथ ये वर्णा हव्यं कव्यं प्रदास्यति । मन्त्रहीनमपन्यायं तेषां दत्तं क्व गच्छति ॥

catvāro hyatha ye varṇā havyaṃ kavyaṃ pradāsyati | mantrahīnamapanyāyaṃ teṣāṃ dattaṃ kva gacchati

"And when those of the four classes give oblations and offerings without mantras and not in the right way, where does what they give go?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 41-42, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0041-0042.

Verse 22 (13.54.22)

असुरान्गच्छते दत्तं विप्रै रक्षांसि क्षत्रियैः । वैश्यैः प्रेतानि वै दत्तं शूद्रैर्भूतानि गच्छति ॥

asurāngacchate dattaṃ viprai rakṣāṃsi kṣatriyaiḥ | vaiśyaiḥ pretāni vai dattaṃ śūdrairbhūtāni gacchati

"What is given goes to the asuras when given by brahmins, to the rakshasas when given by kshatriyas; what is given by vaishyas goes to the pretas, and what shudras give goes to the bhutas."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 43-44, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0043-0044.

Verse 23 (13.54.23)

अथ वर्णावरे जाताश्चातुर्वर्ण्योपदेशिनः । दास्यन्ति हव्यकव्यानि तेषां दत्तं क्व गच्छति ॥

atha varṇāvare jātāścāturvarṇyopadeśinaḥ | dāsyanti havyakavyāni teṣāṃ dattaṃ kva gacchati

"And when those born in the lowest classes, who lay down the rules of the four classes, give oblations and offerings, where does what they give go?"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 45-46, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0045-0046.

Verse 24 (13.54.24)

वर्णावराणां भूतानां हव्यकव्यप्रदातृणाम् । नैव देवा न पितरः प्रतिगृह्णन्ति तत्स्वयम् ॥

varṇāvarāṇāṃ bhūtānāṃ havyakavyapradātṛṇām | naiva devā na pitaraḥ pratigṛhṇanti tatsvayam

"Of those beings of the lowest classes who give oblations and offerings, neither the gods nor the ancestors accept what is given, of themselves.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 47-48, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0047-0048.

Verse 25 (13.54.25)

यातुधानाः पिशाचाश्च भूता ये चापि नैर्ऋताः । तेषां सा विहिता वृत्तिः पितृदैवतनिर्गताः ॥

yātudhānāḥ piśācāśca bhūtā ye cāpi nairṛtāḥ | teṣāṃ sā vihitā vṛttiḥ pitṛdaivatanirgatāḥ

The yatudhanas, pishachas, bhutas and the nairritas: for them that livelihood is ordained, what has been cast off by the ancestors and the gods.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 49-50, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0049-0050.

Verse 26 (13.54.26)

तेषां सर्वप्रदातॄणां हव्यकव्यं समाहिताः । यत्प्रयच्छन्ति विधिवत्तद्वै भुञ्जन्ति देवताः ॥

teṣāṃ sarvapradātṝṇāṃ havyakavyaṃ samāhitāḥ | yatprayacchanti vidhivattadvai bhuñjanti devatāḥ

Of all those givers, only the oblations and offerings that the attentive give according to rule are indeed eaten by the deities."

Note on the text: Removed a stray quote mark and doubled danda printed before the verse-end mark. Corrected विधइवत् → विधिवत् (misprint in Wikisource; a stray इ; CE vidhivat). Not in the critical edition's constituted text: CE Appendix I No. 7A, lines 51-52, printed inline after 13.22.19 as 13.22.19d@007A_0051-0052.