The Greatness of Brahmins: The Sage Death Could Not Hold

Verse 1 (3.187.1)

मार्कण्डेयं महात्मानमूचुः पाण्डुसुतास्तदा । माहात्म्यं द्विजमुख्यानां श्रोतुमिच्छाम कथ्यताम् ॥

mārkaṇḍeyaṃ mahātmānamūcuḥ pāṇḍusutāstadā | māhātmyaṃ dvijamukhyānāṃ śrotumicchāma kathyatām

Then the sons of Pandu said to the great-souled Markandeya: "We wish to hear of the greatness of the foremost of the twice-born. Tell us."

Verse 2 (3.187.2)

एवमुक्तः स भगवान्मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः । उवाच सुमहातेजाः सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः ॥

evamuktaḥ sa bhagavānmārkaṇḍeyo mahātapāḥ | uvāca sumahātejāḥ sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ

Thus addressed, the blessed Markandeya, the great ascetic of great splendour, versed in all the sciences, spoke:

Verse 3 (3.187.3)

हेहयानां कुलकरो राजा परपुरंजयः । कुमारो रूपसंपन्नो मृगयां व्यचरद्बली ॥

hehayānāṃ kulakaro rājā parapuraṃjayaḥ | kumāro rūpasaṃpanno mṛgayāṃ vyacaradbalī

A prince of the Haihayas, who was to carry on their line, a conqueror of enemy cities, handsome and strong, went about hunting.

Note on the text: Speaker: Markandeya's tale begins here (no heading in Wikisource; the carried-over वैशंपायन heading corrected). Corrected रूपसंपननो → रूपसंपन्नो (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct न्न).

Verse 4 (3.187.4)

चरमाणस्तु सोऽरण्ये तृणवीरुत्समावृते । कृष्णाजिनोत्तरासङ्गं ददर्श मुनिमन्तिके ॥

caramāṇastu so'raṇye tṛṇavīrutsamāvṛte | kṛṣṇājinottarāsaṅgaṃ dadarśa munimantike

As he roamed through a forest thick with grass and creepers, he saw close by a sage wearing a black antelope skin as his upper garment.

Note on the text: Critical edition 3.182.4–6 are three-line verses; Wikisource verses 4–7 divide the same lines into couplets. This verse is 3.182.4ab.

Verse 5 (3.187.5)

स तेन हिंसितोऽरण्ये मन्यमानेन वै मृगम् । व्यथितः कर्म तत्कृत्वा शोकोपहतचेतनः ॥

sa tena hiṃsito'raṇye manyamānena vai mṛgam | vyathitaḥ karma tatkṛtvā śokopahatacetanaḥ

Taking him for a deer, he killed him there in the forest. Having done that deed he was distressed, his mind stricken with grief.

Note on the text: This verse is critical edition 3.182.4e–5b (the CE line reads nihato for हिंसितो, a recension variant).

Verse 6 (3.187.6)

जगाम हेहयानां वै सकाशं प्रथितात्मनाम् । राज्ञां राजीवनेत्रोसौ कुमारः पृथिवीपते ॥

jagāma hehayānāṃ vai sakāśaṃ prathitātmanām | rājñāṃ rājīvanetrosau kumāraḥ pṛthivīpate

That lotus-eyed prince, O lord of the earth, went to the renowned kings of the Haihayas

Note on the text: This verse is critical edition 3.182.5c–6b.

Verse 7 (3.187.7)

तेषां च तद्यथावृत्तं कथयामास वै तदा । स कुमारो महीपालो हेहयानां महीभृताम् ॥

teṣāṃ ca tadyathāvṛttaṃ kathayāmāsa vai tadā | sa kumāro mahīpālo hehayānāṃ mahībhṛtām

and told them then just what had happened: that prince, a protector of the land among the Haihaya kings.

Note on the text: Removed stray quote marks around the second line (wiki marks in Wikisource). The first line is critical edition 3.182.6c; the second is not in its constituted text but appears in its apparatus as 3.182.6*0903 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 8 (3.187.8)

तं चापि हिंसितं तात मुनिं मूलफलाशिनम् । श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा च ते तत्र बभूवुर्दीनमानसाः ॥

taṃ cāpi hiṃsitaṃ tāta muniṃ mūlaphalāśinam | śrutvā dṛṣṭvā ca te tatra babhūvurdīnamānasāḥ

Hearing of the sage who lived on roots and fruits, and seeing him slain, my son, they were all downcast at heart.

Verse 9 (3.187.9)

कस्यायमिति ते सर्वे मार्गमाणास्ततस्ततः । जग्मुश्चारिष्टनाम्नोऽथ तार्क्ष्यस्याश्रममञ्जसा ॥

kasyāyamiti te sarve mārgamāṇāstatastataḥ | jagmuścāriṣṭanāmno'tha tārkṣyasyāśramamañjasā

Searching here and there to learn whose son he was, they all went straight to the hermitage of Tarkshya, called Arishta(nemi).

Verse 10 (3.187.10)

तेऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं तं मुनिं संशितव्रतम् । तस्थुः सर्वे स तु मुनिस्तेषां पूजामथाहरत् ॥

te'bhivādya mahātmānaṃ taṃ muniṃ saṃśitavratam | tasthuḥ sarve sa tu munisteṣāṃ pūjāmathāharat

Having saluted that great-souled sage of rigorous vows, they all stood before him; and the sage brought them the offerings of hospitality.

Verse 11 (3.187.11)

ते तमूचुर्महात्मानं न वयं सक्रियां मुने । त्वत्तोऽर्हाः कर्मदोषेण ब्राह्मणो हिंसितो हि नः ॥

te tamūcurmahātmānaṃ na vayaṃ sakriyāṃ mune | tvatto'rhāḥ karmadoṣeṇa brāhmaṇo hiṃsito hi naḥ

They said to the great-souled one: "We are not worthy of hospitality from you, O sage, because of the wrong we have done: a Brahmin has been killed by us."

Verse 12 (3.187.12)

तानब्रवीत्स विप्रर्षिः कथं वो ब्राह्मणो हतः । क्व चासौ ब्रूत सहिताः पश्यध्वं मे तपोबलम् ॥

tānabravītsa viprarṣiḥ kathaṃ vo brāhmaṇo hataḥ | kva cāsau brūta sahitāḥ paśyadhvaṃ me tapobalam

The Brahmin seer said to them: "How was a Brahmin killed by you? And where is he? Tell me, all of you together, and see the power of my austerity."

Note on the text: Corrected रतपोबलम् → तपोबलम् (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, which also spoils the metre; the critical edition reads tapobalam).

Verse 13 (3.187.13)

ते तु तत्सर्वमखिलमाख्यायास्मै यथातथम् । नापश्यंस्तमृषिं तत्र गतासुं ते समागताः ॥

te tu tatsarvamakhilamākhyāyāsmai yathātatham | nāpaśyaṃstamṛṣiṃ tatra gatāsuṃ te samāgatāḥ

They told him the whole matter exactly as it had happened; but when they all came there, they did not see the dead seer.

Note on the text: Critical edition 3.182.12–13 are three-line verses; Wikisource verses 13–15 divide the same lines into couplets. This verse is 3.182.12ab.

Verse 14 (3.187.14)

अन्वेषमाणाः सव्रीडाः सुप्तवद्गतमानसाः । तानब्रवीत्तत्रमुनिस्तार्क्ष्यः परपुरंजयः ॥

anveṣamāṇāḥ savrīḍāḥ suptavadgatamānasāḥ | tānabravīttatramunistārkṣyaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ

As they searched, ashamed, their minds dazed as if asleep, Tarkshya, the sage and conqueror of enemy cities, said to them there:

Note on the text: This verse is critical edition 3.182.12e–13b (the CE reads svapnavad for सुप्तवद्, a recension variant).

Verse 15 (3.187.15)

स्यादयं ब्राह्मणः सोऽथयुष्माभिर्यो विनाशितः । पुत्रो ह्ययं मम नृपास्तपोबलसमन्वितः ॥

syādayaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ so'thayuṣmābhiryo vināśitaḥ | putro hyayaṃ mama nṛpāstapobalasamanvitaḥ

Could this be the Brahmin whom you killed? This is my son, O kings, endowed with the power of austerity.

Note on the text: Speaker: Tarkshya's words fill the verse (no heading in Wikisource). This verse is critical edition 3.182.13c–f.

Verse 16 (3.187.16)

ते च दृष्ट्वैव तमृषिं विस्मयं परमं गताः । महदाश्चर्यमिति वै ते ब्रुवाणा महीपते ॥

te ca dṛṣṭvaiva tamṛṣiṃ vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatāḥ | mahadāścaryamiti vai te bruvāṇā mahīpate

And as soon as they saw that seer they were filled with the greatest wonder, O lord of the earth, saying, "A great marvel!"

Verse 17 (3.187.17)

मृतो ह्ययमितो दृष्टः कथं जीवितमाप्तवान् । किमेतत्तपसो वीर्यं येनायं जीवितः पुनः । श्रोतुमिच्छामहे विप्र यदि श्रोतव्यमित्युत ॥

mṛto hyayamito dṛṣṭaḥ kathaṃ jīvitamāptavān | kimetattapaso vīryaṃ yenāyaṃ jīvitaḥ punaḥ | śrotumicchāmahe vipra yadi śrotavyamityuta

He was seen lying dead here; how has he regained his life? What is this power of austerity by which he lives again? We wish to hear it, Brahmin, if it may be told.

Note on the text: Speaker: the Haihaya kings' words fill the verse (no heading in Wikisource).

Verse 18 (3.187.18)

स तानुवाच नास्माकं मृत्युः प्रभवते नृपाः । कारणं च प्रवक्ष्यामि हेतुयोगं समासतः । मृत्युः प्रभवते येन नास्माकं नृपसत्तमाः ॥

sa tānuvāca nāsmākaṃ mṛtyuḥ prabhavate nṛpāḥ | kāraṇaṃ ca pravakṣyāmi hetuyogaṃ samāsataḥ | mṛtyuḥ prabhavate yena nāsmākaṃ nṛpasattamāḥ

He said to them: "Death has no power over us, O kings. I shall tell you the reason, the chain of causes, in brief: why it is that death has no power over us, best of kings.

Note on the text: Removed a stray quote mark (wiki mark in Wikisource). The first two lines are critical edition 3.182.16; the third is not in its constituted text but appears in its apparatus as 3.182.16*0905 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 19 (3.187.19)

शुद्धाचारादनलसाः संध्योपासनतत्पराः । शुद्धान्नाः शुद्धसदना ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतान्विताः ॥

śuddhācārādanalasāḥ saṃdhyopāsanatatparāḥ | śuddhānnāḥ śuddhasadanā brahmacaryavratānvitāḥ

Because of our pure conduct we are never idle; we are intent on the twilight worship; our food is pure, our dwellings are pure, and we keep the vow of chastity.

Note on the text: Speaker: Tarkshya's explanation continues (no heading in Wikisource). Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in its apparatus as 3.182.16*0904 (found in the vulgate recension). Corrected साध्योपासन → संध्योपासन (misprint in Wikisource; "intent on the twilight worship"; the apparatus reads saṃdhyopāsana) and removed a stray closing quote mark (wiki mark).

Verse 20 (3.187.20)

सत्यमेवाभिजानीमो नानृते कुर्महे मनः । स्वधर्ममनुतिष्ठामस्तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न नः ॥

satyamevābhijānīmo nānṛte kurmahe manaḥ | svadharmamanutiṣṭhāmastasmānmṛtyubhayaṃ na naḥ

We know only the truth and never set our minds on falsehood; we carry out our own dharma: therefore we have no fear of death.

Verse 21 (3.187.21)

यद्ब्राह्मणानां कुशलं तदेषां कथयामहे । तेषां हि चरितं ब्रूमस्तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न नः ॥

yadbrāhmaṇānāṃ kuśalaṃ tadeṣāṃ kathayāmahe | teṣāṃ hi caritaṃ brūmastasmānmṛtyubhayaṃ na naḥ

We speak of what is good in Brahmins; it is their good conduct that we proclaim: therefore we have no fear of death.

Verse 22 (3.187.22)

अतिथीनन्नपानेन भृत्यानत्यशनेन च । संभोज्य शेषमश्नीमस्तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न नः ॥

atithīnannapānena bhṛtyānatyaśanena ca | saṃbhojya śeṣamaśnīmastasmānmṛtyubhayaṃ na naḥ

We feed our guests with food and drink and our dependants with plenty, and eat what is left: therefore we have no fear of death.

Note on the text: The first line is critical edition 3.182.19ab; the second is not in its constituted text but appears in its apparatus as 3.182.19*0906 line 1 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 23 (3.187.23)

क्षान्ता दान्ताः क्षमाशीलास्तीर्थदानपरायणाः । पुण्यदेशनिवासाच्च तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न नः । तेजस्विदेशवासाच्च तस्मान्मृत्युभयं न नः ॥

kṣāntā dāntāḥ kṣamāśīlāstīrthadānaparāyaṇāḥ | puṇyadeśanivāsācca tasmānmṛtyubhayaṃ na naḥ | tejasvideśavāsācca tasmānmṛtyubhayaṃ na naḥ

We are patient, self-controlled and forgiving, devoted to pilgrimage and charity; because we dwell in holy lands, we have no fear of death; because we dwell near men of spiritual power, we have no fear of death.

Note on the text: Only the last line is in the critical edition's constituted text (3.182.19cd); the first two lines appear in its apparatus as 3.182.19*0906 lines 2–3 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 24 (3.187.24)

एतद्वै लेशमात्रं वः समाख्यातं विमत्सराः । गच्छध्वं सहिताः सर्वे न पापाद्भयमस्ति वः ॥

etadvai leśamātraṃ vaḥ samākhyātaṃ vimatsarāḥ | gacchadhvaṃ sahitāḥ sarve na pāpādbhayamasti vaḥ

I have told you this only in brief, you who are free from envy. Go, all of you together; you need have no fear of sin."

Verse 25 (3.187.25)

एवमस्त्विति ते सर्वे प्रतिपूज्य महामुनिम् । स्वदेशमगमन्हृष्टा राजानो भरतर्षभ ॥

evamastviti te sarve pratipūjya mahāmunim | svadeśamagamanhṛṣṭā rājāno bharatarṣabha

"So be it," said all the kings, and having paid honour to the great sage they went home joyfully to their own country, bull of the Bharatas.