Markandeya's Hermitage and Shiva's Boon

Verse 1 (3.130.1)

सोमकस्याश्रमे पुण्ये धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः । षड्रात्रमुष्य नियतो भ्रात्रादिभिररिंदमः । तस्मान्निर्गम्य सहसा दिशं प्रायात्तथोत्तराम् ॥

somakasyāśrame puṇye dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | ṣaḍrātramuṣya niyato bhrātrādibhirariṃdamaḥ | tasmānnirgamya sahasā diśaṃ prāyāttathottarām

Yudhishthira, the King of Dharma and tamer of foes, stayed six nights at the holy hermitage of Somaka with his brothers and companions, keeping his vows. Then he set out from there briskly and went on toward the north.

Note on the text: Removed the speaker heading "वैशंपायन उवाच" and a stray wiki mark (`) that had slipped into the verse text; the heading is now the speaker. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). This whole adhyaya (the Markandeya episode) has no counterpart in the critical edition: nothing in its text, star passages or appendices (as given in the GRETIL file) between CE 3.128 (Somaka) and 3.129 (Lomasha on the Yamuna sites) or elsewhere matches it, so it is not an alignment failure.

Verse 2 (3.130.2)

बहुदूरं ततो गत्वा वनं तत्र मनोहरम् । बहुपुष्पफलाकीर्णं महानद्युपशोभितम् ॥

bahudūraṃ tato gatvā vanaṃ tatra manoharam | bahupuṣpaphalākīrṇaṃ mahānadyupaśobhitam

Going a long way from there, he came upon a delightful forest, strewn with many flowers and fruits and graced by a great river.

Note on the text: Corrected बहुपष्पफलाकीर्णं → बहुपुष्पफलाकीर्णं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped u-sign, cf. बहुपुष्पफलोपेतं in verse 4). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 3 (3.130.3)

दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छ राजाऽसौ लोमशं मुनिसत्तमम् । किमिदं दृश्यते रम्यं वनं बहुमृगद्विजम् ॥

dṛṣṭvā papraccha rājā'sau lomaśaṃ munisattamam | kimidaṃ dṛśyate ramyaṃ vanaṃ bahumṛgadvijam

Seeing it, the king asked Lomasha, best of sages: "What is this lovely forest we see, full of beasts and birds,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 4 (3.130.4)

बहुपुष्पफलोपेतं मुनिसङ्घैर्निषेवितम् । स्रवन्त्या च समायुक्तं महत्या पुण्यतोयया ॥

bahupuṣpaphalopetaṃ munisaṅghairniṣevitam | sravantyā ca samāyuktaṃ mahatyā puṇyatoyayā

"rich in flowers and fruits, frequented by bands of sages, and watered by a great river of holy water?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 5 (3.130.5)

ऋषीणामाश्रमाः पुण्या दृश्यन्ते विविधा मुने । कस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यः कस्येमे मुनयोऽमलाः । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं वद त्वं वदतांवर ॥

ṛṣīṇāmāśramāḥ puṇyā dṛśyante vividhā mune | kasyāyamāśramaḥ puṇyaḥ kasyeme munayo'malāḥ | etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ vada tvaṃ vadatāṃvara

"Many holy hermitages of seers can be seen here, O sage. Whose holy hermitage is this, and whose are these pure sages? This I wish to hear; tell me, best of speakers."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 6 (3.130.6)

शृणु राजेन्द्र भद्रं ते वनस्यास्य पुरातनम् । वृत्तान्तं निखिलेनाद्य प्रोच्यमानं मयाऽनघ ॥

śṛṇu rājendra bhadraṃ te vanasyāsya purātanam | vṛttāntaṃ nikhilenādya procyamānaṃ mayā'nagha

Listen, lord of kings, and may good fortune be yours. Today, sinless one, I shall tell you in full the ancient history of this forest.

Note on the text: Corrected राजेनद्र → राजेन्द्र (misprint in Wikisource; transposed conjunct with a stray zero-width joiner). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 7 (3.130.7)

मृकण्डुपुत्रो मेधावी मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः । बाल एव महाबुद्धिः सर्वविद्याविशारदः ॥

mṛkaṇḍuputro medhāvī mārkaṇḍeyo mahāmuniḥ | bāla eva mahābuddhiḥ sarvavidyāviśāradaḥ

The wise Markandeya, son of Mrikandu, was a great sage. Even as a boy he was of great understanding and learned in every branch of knowledge.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 8 (3.130.8)

मातापित्रोः प्रियं कुर्वंस्तपोर्थं वनमाविशत् । अत्राश्रमपदं कृत्वा तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ॥

mātāpitroḥ priyaṃ kurvaṃstaporthaṃ vanamāviśat | atrāśramapadaṃ kṛtvā tapastepe sudāruṇam

Doing what pleased his mother and father, he entered the forest to practise austerity. Making his hermitage here, he performed austerities of the most severe kind.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 9 (3.130.9)

ग्रीष्मे पञ्चतपा भूत्वा वर्षास्वाकाशसंश्रयः । जलस्थः शिशिरे योगी बहुकालमवर्तत ॥

grīṣme pañcatapā bhūtvā varṣāsvākāśasaṃśrayaḥ | jalasthaḥ śiśire yogī bahukālamavartata

In summer he sat amid five fires, in the rains he lived under the open sky, and in the cold season he stood in water. So the yogi lived for a long time.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 10 (3.130.10)

ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्निरालम्बः पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठितः । जितेन्द्रियो जितप्राणश्चिन्तयन्दृढमव्ययम् । अनाहारो जितक्रोधश्चिरमेवमवर्तत ॥

ūrdhvabāhurnirālambaḥ pādāṅguṣṭhāgraviṣṭhitaḥ | jitendriyo jitaprāṇaścintayandṛḍhamavyayam | anāhāro jitakrodhaściramevamavartata

With arms raised and without support, standing on the tips of his big toes, his senses and breath mastered, meditating steadily on the Imperishable, taking no food and free of anger, he remained like this for a long time.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 11 (3.130.11)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राजन्ननावृष्टिः सुदारुणा । संभूता सर्वसंहर्त्री तया दग्धं चराचरम् ॥

etasminnantare rājannanāvṛṣṭiḥ sudāruṇā | saṃbhūtā sarvasaṃhartrī tayā dagdhaṃ carācaram

Meanwhile, O king, a terrible drought arose that destroyed everything, and by it all things moving and unmoving were burnt up.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 12 (3.130.12)

अनावृष्ट्यां प्रवृत्तायां सर्वे च निधनं गताः । केचिदन्ये महात्मानो मुनयो द्विजपुङ्गवाः ॥

anāvṛṣṭyāṃ pravṛttāyāṃ sarve ca nidhanaṃ gatāḥ | kecidanye mahātmāno munayo dvijapuṅgavāḥ

With the drought upon the land, all went to their death. But some others, great-souled sages and eminent brahmins,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 13 (3.130.13)

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राः सर्वाश्च योषितः । पशुपक्षिमृगाः सर्वे क्षुत्पिपासासमाकुलाः । कृशाः शुष्कोष्ठकण्ठाश्च श्रान्ता भ्रान्ता विचेतसः ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāḥ śūdrāḥ sarvāśca yoṣitaḥ | paśupakṣimṛgāḥ sarve kṣutpipāsāsamākulāḥ | kṛśāḥ śuṣkoṣṭhakaṇṭhāśca śrāntā bhrāntā vicetasaḥ

brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras, and all the women, and all the cattle, birds and wild beasts, racked by hunger and thirst, wasted, with parched lips and throats, weary, wandering and dazed,

Note on the text: Corrected शूद्रा → शूद्राः (misprint in Wikisource; the nominative plural needs its visarga before स). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 14 (3.130.14)

केनचित्पुण्यशेषेण मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमतः । आश्रमं शनकैः प्राप्ता मूर्च्छिताः सहसाऽपतन् ॥

kenacitpuṇyaśeṣeṇa mārkaṇḍeyasya dhīmataḥ | āśramaṃ śanakaiḥ prāptā mūrcchitāḥ sahasā'patan

by some remnant of merit slowly reached the hermitage of the wise Markandeya, and there they suddenly fell down in a faint.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 15 (3.130.15)

समाधिविरतो योगी मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः । तद्वनं निबिडं दृष्ट्वा जनैः क्षुत्तृट्समाकुलैः ॥

samādhivirato yogī mārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ | tadvanaṃ nibiḍaṃ dṛṣṭvā janaiḥ kṣuttṛṭsamākulaiḥ

Rising from his meditation, the yogi Markandeya, great in austerity, saw that forest crowded with people tormented by hunger and thirst.

Note on the text: Corrected समाकलैः → समाकुलैः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped u-sign, cf. समाकुलाः in verse 13). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 16 (3.130.16)

दयार्द्रहृदयो योगी शिवं ध्यात्वा हृदम्बुजे । तेषां संरक्षणार्थाय वेदगन्धिस्वरेण सः । आजुहाव तदा गङ्गां तपोयोगेन भारत ॥

dayārdrahṛdayo yogī śivaṃ dhyātvā hṛdambuje | teṣāṃ saṃrakṣaṇārthāya vedagandhisvareṇa saḥ | ājuhāva tadā gaṅgāṃ tapoyogena bhārata

His heart melting with compassion, the yogi meditated on Shiva in the lotus of his heart; and to save them, O Bharata, he called the Ganga to him by the power of his austerity, in a voice fragrant with the Veda.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 17 (3.130.17)

गङ्गा समागता शीघ्रं तेनाहूताऽतिपावना । नाम्ना वेदनदीत्येव प्रख्याता लोकपावना ॥

gaṅgā samāgatā śīghraṃ tenāhūtā'tipāvanā | nāmnā vedanadītyeva prakhyātā lokapāvanā

Called by him, the most purifying Ganga came swiftly. She who purifies the world became famous here by the name Vedanadi, the River of the Veda.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 18 (3.130.18)

पर्जन्यश्च समाहूतः सुखं वर्षति भारत । सस्यानि च समृद्धानि फलमूलान्यनेकशः । संभूतान्यत्र राजेन्द्र सर्वे ते रक्षिता जनाः ॥

parjanyaśca samāhūtaḥ sukhaṃ varṣati bhārata | sasyāni ca samṛddhāni phalamūlānyanekaśaḥ | saṃbhūtānyatra rājendra sarve te rakṣitā janāḥ

The rain-god Parjanya too was summoned and rained kindly, O Bharata. Crops flourished, and roots and fruits of many kinds sprang up here, lord of kings, and all those people were saved.

Note on the text: Corrected अत्रराजेनद्र → अत्र राजेन्द्र (misprint in Wikisource; transposed conjunct and missing word space). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 19 (3.130.19)

मार्कण्डेयं प्रशंसन्तो जनाः सर्वे द्विजातयः । चिरं सुखमवर्तन्त तेन संरक्षिता नृप ॥

mārkaṇḍeyaṃ praśaṃsanto janāḥ sarve dvijātayaḥ | ciraṃ sukhamavartanta tena saṃrakṣitā nṛpa

All the people, the twice-born among them, praised Markandeya and, protected by him, O king, lived happily for a long time.

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजात्तयः → द्विजातयः (misprint in Wikisource; doubled त). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 20 (3.130.20)

एवं विधाय रक्षां स सर्वेषां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । पुनश्चचार च तपः परमेश्वरतुष्टये ॥

evaṃ vidhāya rakṣāṃ sa sarveṣāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām | punaścacāra ca tapaḥ parameśvaratuṣṭaye

Having thus secured the protection of all those people of holy deeds, he took up his austerities once more to please the Supreme Lord.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 21 (3.130.21)

एवं बहुतिथे काले प्रादुरासीन्महेश्वरः ॥

evaṃ bahutithe kāle prādurāsīnmaheśvaraḥ

After a long time had passed in this way, Maheshvara appeared.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (printed as 21a only); the passage is not in the critical edition, so nothing can be restored. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 22 (3.130.22)

दृष्ट्वा च सर्वदेवेशं चन्द्रमौलिमुमापतिम् । ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादिभिर्देवैः सिद्धविद्याधरोरगैः ॥

dṛṣṭvā ca sarvadeveśaṃ candramaulimumāpatim | brahmaviṣṇvādibhirdevaiḥ siddhavidyādharoragaiḥ

The sage beheld the lord of all the gods, the moon-crested husband of Uma, with Brahma, Vishnu and the other gods, with Siddhas, Vidyadharas and serpents,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (3.130.23)

गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरैः सकिन्नरपतत्रिभिः । स्तूयमानं महादेवमव्ययं निष्कलं शिवम् । प्रणनाम मुनिर्भक्त्या साष्टाङ्गं च पुनः पुनः ॥

gandharvayakṣapravaraiḥ sakinnarapatatribhiḥ | stūyamānaṃ mahādevamavyayaṃ niṣkalaṃ śivam | praṇanāma munirbhaktyā sāṣṭāṅgaṃ ca punaḥ punaḥ

and the foremost of the Gandharvas and Yakshas, with the Kinnaras and the birds, all singing the praises of Mahadeva, the imperishable, undivided and auspicious Shiva; and the sage bowed to him in devotion again and again, prostrate with all eight limbs.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 24 (3.130.24)

प्रणम्योत्थाय सहसा बद्धाञ्जलिपुटो मुनिः । तुष्टाव विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्महादेवं जगत्पतिम् ॥

praṇamyotthāya sahasā baddhāñjalipuṭo muniḥ | tuṣṭāva vividhaiḥ stotrairmahādevaṃ jagatpatim

Having bowed, the sage rose at once and, with joined palms, praised Mahadeva, lord of the world, with many hymns.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 25 (3.130.25)

तमुवाच महादेवो मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम् । वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोस्मि मुने तव ॥

tamuvāca mahādevo mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahāmunim | varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varadosmi mune tava

Mahadeva said to the great sage Markandeya: "Choose a boon, and may good fortune be yours. I am here to grant you a boon, O sage."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 26 (3.130.26)

एवं संबोधितस्तेन शिवेन परमात्मना । सगद्गदमिदं वाक्यमुवाच परमेश्वरम् ॥

evaṃ saṃbodhitastena śivena paramātmanā | sagadgadamidaṃ vākyamuvāca parameśvaram

Addressed thus by Shiva, the Supreme Self, he spoke these words to the Supreme Lord in a voice choked with feeling:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 27 (3.130.27)

नान्यं वरं वृणे शंभो त्वत्पादपङ्कजे । भक्तिंह्यनन्यसुलभां स्व व्यभिचारिणीम् ॥

nānyaṃ varaṃ vṛṇe śaṃbho tvatpādapaṅkaje | bhaktiṃhyananyasulabhāṃ sva vyabhicāriṇīm

"I ask no other boon, O Shambhu, than devotion to your lotus feet, a single-minded devotion, hard for others to attain, that never wavers."

Note on the text: Removed the dashes (---) with which Wikisource marks a gap of about two syllables before त्वत्पादपङ्कजे; the fourth pada (स्व व्यभिचारिणीम्) is also short and evidently corrupt (the sense is "unswerving devotion"). The passage is not in the critical edition, so neither gap can be restored; the translation follows the evident sense. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 28 (3.130.28)

एवमुक्तोऽथ मुनिना भरतगीश्वरेश्वरः । पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वाक्यं मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम् ॥

evamukto'tha muninā bharatagīśvareśvaraḥ | punarevābravīdvākyaṃ mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahāmunim

Addressed thus by the sage, O Bharata, the lord of the lords of speech spoke again to the great sage Markandeya:

Note on the text: Corrected मार्कण्डेय → मार्कण्डेयं (misprint in Wikisource; the object of अब्रवीत् needs the accusative, cf. verse 25). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 29 (3.130.29)

सम्यगाराधितः पित्रा तव पुत्रार्थमादरात् ॥

samyagārādhitaḥ pitrā tava putrārthamādarāt

"Long ago your father worshipped me duly and reverently, praying for a son.

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (printed as 29a only); the passage is not in the critical edition, so nothing can be restored. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 30 (3.130.30)

शतायुर्निर्गुणः पुत्रः शुभः षोडशवार्षिकः । उभयोरन्यमिच्छ त्वमित्युक्तः सोऽब्रवीच्च माम् ॥

śatāyurnirguṇaḥ putraḥ śubhaḥ ṣoḍaśavārṣikaḥ | ubhayoranyamiccha tvamityuktaḥ so'bravīcca mām

"'A son who lives a hundred years but has no virtues, or a good son who lives sixteen years: choose one of the two,' I told him. And when I had said this, he answered me:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 31 (3.130.31)

निर्गुणो मास्तु देवेश शतायुः षोडशाब्दकः । सुगुणोऽस्तु सुतो मेऽद्य इति पित्रावृतः पुरा ॥

nirguṇo māstu deveśa śatāyuḥ ṣoḍaśābdakaḥ | suguṇo'stu suto me'dya iti pitrāvṛtaḥ purā

"'Lord of the gods, let my son not be without virtue, even if he were to live a hundred years. Let him be virtuous, though he live only sixteen.' That is what your father chose long ago.

Note on the text: Corrected पित्रावृत → पित्रावृतः, i.e. पित्रा वृतः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 32 (3.130.32)

त्वया तप्तेन तपसा तोषितोऽहं भृशं मुने । दीर्घमायुर्मया दत्तं मृत्युश्च प्रतिषेधितः ॥

tvayā taptena tapasā toṣito'haṃ bhṛśaṃ mune | dīrghamāyurmayā dattaṃ mṛtyuśca pratiṣedhitaḥ

"But I am greatly pleased, O sage, by the austerities you have performed. I grant you a long life, and death is held back from you."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 33 (3.130.33)

इत्युक्त्वा भगवानीशस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । तस्यायमाश्रमः पुण्यस्तस्येमे मुनयोऽमलाः ॥

ityuktvā bhagavānīśastatraivāntaradhīyata | tasyāyamāśramaḥ puṇyastasyeme munayo'malāḥ

Having said this, the blessed Lord vanished on the spot. This is that sage's holy hermitage, and these pure sages are his.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 34 (3.130.34)

अत्रैकरात्रमुषिताः सर्वे मृत्युं तरन्ति वै । अत्रैव भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रयतो वस भूमिप ॥

atraikarātramuṣitāḥ sarve mṛtyuṃ taranti vai | atraiva bharataśreṣṭha prayato vasa bhūmipa

All who stay a single night here cross beyond death. So stay here, best of the Bharatas, lord of the earth, with a disciplined mind.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (') after भूमिप. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).