Lord Shiva and Uma Glorify Markandeya Rishi

Verse 1 (bhagavata.12.10.1)

सूत उवाच स एवमनुभूयेदं नारायणविनिर्मितम् । वैभवं योगमायायास्तमेव शरणं ययौ ॥ १ ॥

sūta uvāca sa evam anubhūyedaṁ nārāyaṇa-vinirmitam vaibhavaṁ yoga-māyāyās tam eva śaraṇaṁ yayau

Suta said: Having thus witnessed this display of Yoga-maya's opulence, wrought by Narayana Himself, Markandeya took shelter of that very Lord.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.12.10.2)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच प्रपन्नोऽस्म्यङ्घ्रिमूलं ते प्रपन्नाभयदं हरे । यन्माययापि विबुधा मुह्यन्ति ज्ञानकाशया ॥ २ ॥

śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca prapanno ’smy aṅghri-mūlaṁ te prapannābhaya-daṁ hare yan-māyayāpi vibudhā muhyanti jñāna-kāśayā

Shri Markandeya said: I take shelter at Your feet, O Hari, which grant fearlessness to all who surrender to them — Your feet, whose very maya bewilders even the gods, appearing to them in the guise of knowledge.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.12.10.3)

सूत उवाच तमेवं निभृतात्मानं वृषेण दिवि पर्यटन् । रुद्राण्या भगवान् रुद्रो ददर्श स्वगणैर्वृतः ॥ ३ ॥

sūta uvāca tam evaṁ nibhṛtātmānaṁ vṛṣeṇa divi paryaṭan rudrāṇyā bhagavān rudro dadarśa sva-gaṇair vṛtaḥ

Suta said: While traveling through the sky on his bull, together with Rudrani and surrounded by his attendants, Lord Rudra saw Markandeya, thus stilled in trance.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.12.10.4)

अथोमा तमृषिं वीक्ष्य गिरिशं समभाषत । पश्येमं भगवन् विप्रं निभृतात्मेन्द्रियाशयम् ॥ ४ ॥

athomā tam ṛṣiṁ vīkṣya giriśaṁ samabhāṣata paśyemaṁ bhagavan vipraṁ nibhṛtātmendriyāśayam

Then Uma, seeing that sage, spoke to Girisha: My lord, behold this brahmana, his self, senses and mind utterly stilled.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.12.10.5)

निभृतोदझषव्रातो वातापाये यथार्णवः । कुर्वस्य तपसः साक्षात् संसिद्धिं सिद्धिदो भवान् ॥ ५ ॥

nibhṛtoda-jhaṣa-vrāto vātāpāye yathārṇavaḥ kurv asya tapasaḥ sākṣāt saṁsiddhiṁ siddhi-do bhavān

He is as still as the ocean when the wind has died and its waters and fish lie motionless. You, who bestow perfection, should now grant him the direct fruit of his austerity.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.12.10.6)

श्रीभगवानुवाच नैवेच्छत्याशिषः क्वापि ब्रह्मर्षिर्मोक्षमप्युत । भक्तिं परां भगवति लब्धवान् पुरुषेऽव्यये ॥ ६ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca naivecchaty āśiṣaḥ kvāpi brahmarṣir mokṣam apy uta bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati labdhavān puruṣe ’vyaye

The Lord said: This brahmarshi desires no boon whatsoever, not even liberation, for he has already attained supreme devotion to the imperishable Supreme Person.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.12.10.7)

अथापि संवदिष्यामो भवान्येतेन साधुना । अयं हि परमो लाभो नृणां साधुसमागमः ॥ ७ ॥

athāpi saṁvadiṣyāmo bhavāny etena sādhunā ayaṁ hi paramo lābho nṛṇāṁ sādhu-samāgamaḥ

Even so, O Bhavani, let us converse with this saintly one — for the company of the saintly is indeed the highest gain a person can have.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.12.10.8)

सूत उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तमुपेयाय भगवान् स सतां गतिः । ईशानः सर्वविद्यानामीश्वरः सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥ ८ ॥

sūta uvāca ity uktvā tam upeyāya bhagavān sa satāṁ gatiḥ īśānaḥ sarva-vidyānām īśvaraḥ sarva-dehinām

Suta said: Having spoken thus, that Lord — the refuge of the saintly, the ruler of all sciences, the controller of every embodied being — approached him.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.12.10.9)

तयोरागमनं साक्षादीशयोर्जगदात्मनोः । न वेद रुद्धधीवृत्तिरात्मानं विश्वमेव च ॥ ९ ॥

tayor āgamanaṁ sākṣād īśayor jagad-ātmanoḥ na veda ruddha-dhī-vṛttir ātmānaṁ viśvam eva ca

But so completely had his mind's activity ceased that Markandeya, though those two lords of the universe stood directly before him, was aware neither of himself nor of the world at all.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.12.10.10)

भगवांस्तदभिज्ञाय गिरिशो योगमायया । आविशत्तद्गुहाकाशं वायुश्छिद्रमिवेश्वरः ॥ १० ॥

bhagavāṁs tad abhijñāya giriśo yoga-māyayā āviśat tad-guhākāśaṁ vāyuś chidram iveśvaraḥ

Understanding this, the Lord Girisha, by his yoga-maya, entered into the space within his heart, as effortlessly as the wind enters an opening.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.12.10.11)

आत्मन्यपि शिवं प्राप्तं तडित्पिङ्गजटाधरम् । त्र्यक्षं दशभुजं प्रांशुमुद्यन्तमिव भास्करम् ॥ ११ ॥

ātmany api śivaṁ prāptaṁ taḍit-piṅga-jaṭā-dharam try-akṣaṁ daśa-bhujaṁ prāṁśum udyantam iva bhāskaram

There within himself Markandeya now beheld Shiva — his matted hair tawny as lightning, three-eyed, ten-armed, tall of stature, radiant as the rising sun.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.12.10.12)

व्याघ्रचर्माम्बरं शूलधनुरिष्वसिचर्मभिः । अक्षमालाडमरुककपालं परशुं सह ॥ १२ ॥

vyāghra-carmāmbaraṁ śūla- dhanur-iṣv-asi-carmabhiḥ akṣa-mālā-ḍamaruka- kapālaṁ paraśuṁ saha

Clad in a tiger skin, bearing trident, bow, arrows, sword and shield, together with rosary, damaru drum, skull and axe —

Verse 13 (bhagavata.12.10.13)

बिभ्राणं सहसा भातं विचक्ष्य हृदि विस्मितः । किमिदं कुत एवेति समाधेर्विरतो मुनिः ॥ १३ ॥

bibhrāṇaṁ sahasā bhātaṁ vicakṣya hṛdi vismitaḥ kim idaṁ kuta eveti samādher virato muniḥ

— beholding this sudden radiance within his heart, astonished, the sage came out of his trance, wondering, 'What is this, and whence has it come?'

Verse 14 (bhagavata.12.10.14)

नेत्रे उन्मील्य ददृशे सगणं सोमयागतम् । रुद्रं त्रिलोकैकगुरुं ननाम शिरसा मुनिः ॥ १४ ॥

netre unmīlya dadṛśe sa-gaṇaṁ somayāgatam rudraṁ tri-lokaika-guruṁ nanāma śirasā muniḥ

Opening his eyes, he saw before him Rudra, come with Uma and his attendants, the sole guru of the three worlds; and the sage bowed his head to him.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.12.10.15)

तस्मै सपर्यां व्यदधात् सगणाय सहोमया । स्वागतासनपाद्यार्घ्यगन्धस्रग्धूपदीपकैः ॥ १५ ॥

tasmai saparyāṁ vyadadhāt sa-gaṇāya sahomayā svāgatāsana-pādyārghya- gandha-srag-dhūpa-dīpakaiḥ

He offered worship to him and to Uma and his attendants — with words of welcome, a seat, water for the feet, arghya, sandal paste, garlands, incense and lamps.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.12.10.16)

आह त्वात्मानुभावेन पूर्णकामस्य ते विभो । करवाम किमीशान येनेदं निर्वृतं जगत् ॥ १६ ॥

āha tv ātmānubhāvena pūrṇa-kāmasya te vibho karavāma kim īśāna yenedaṁ nirvṛtaṁ jagat

He said: O mighty one, what could I possibly do for you, who are already fulfilled by your own inner bliss, O lord by whose grace this entire world finds contentment?

Verse 17 (bhagavata.12.10.17)

नमः शिवाय शान्ताय सत्त्वाय प्रमृडाय च । रजोजुषेऽथ घोराय नमस्तुभ्यं तमोजुषे ॥ १७ ॥

namaḥ śivāya śāntāya sattvāya pramṛḍāya ca rajo-juṣe ’tha ghorāya namas tubhyaṁ tamo-juṣe

Obeisances to Shiva, the tranquil, the embodiment of goodness, the gracious; obeisances too to you in your fearsome form joined with passion, and in your form joined with ignorance.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.12.10.18)

सूत उवाच एवं स्तुतः स भगवानादिदेवः सतां गतिः । परितुष्टः प्रसन्नात्मा प्रहसंस्तमभाषत ॥ १८ ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ stutaḥ sa bhagavān ādi-devaḥ satāṁ gatiḥ parituṣṭaḥ prasannātmā prahasaṁs tam abhāṣata

Suta said: Thus praised, that Supreme Lord, the primal god, refuge of the saintly, well pleased and with a joyful heart, smiled and spoke to him.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.12.10.19)

श्रीभगवानुवाच वरं वृणीष्व नः कामं वरदेशा वयं त्रयः । अमोघं दर्शनं येषां मर्त्यो यद् विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ १९ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca varaṁ vṛṇīṣva naḥ kāmaṁ vara-deśā vayaṁ trayaḥ amoghaṁ darśanaṁ yeṣāṁ martyo yad vindate ’mṛtam

The Lord said: Ask of us whatever boon you desire, for we three are the granters of boons, whose very sight never fails — by seeing whom a mortal attains immortality.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.12.10.20)

ब्राह्मणाः साधवः शान्ता निःसङ्गा भूतवत्सलाः । एकान्तभक्ता अस्मासु निर्वैराः समदर्शिनः ॥ २० ॥

brāhmaṇāḥ sādhavaḥ śāntā niḥsaṅgā bhūta-vatsalāḥ ekānta-bhaktā asmāsu nirvairāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

Those brahmanas who are saintly, tranquil, free of attachment, tender toward all beings, singly devoted to us, free of enmity and of equal vision toward all —

Verse 21 (bhagavata.12.10.21)

सलोका लोकपालास्तान् वन्दन्त्यर्चन्त्युपासते । अहं च भगवान् ब्रह्मा स्वयं च हरिरीश्वरः ॥ २१ ॥

sa-lokā loka-pālās tān vandanty arcanty upāsate ahaṁ ca bhagavān brahmā svayaṁ ca harir īśvaraḥ

— such brahmanas are honored, worshipped, and served by the inhabitants of every world together with their guardian gods, and also by me, by the exalted Brahma, and by Lord Hari Himself.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.12.10.22)

न ते मय्यच्युतेऽजे च भिदामण्वपि चक्षते । नात्मनश्च जनस्यापि तद् युष्मान् वयमीमहि ॥ २२ ॥

na te mayy acyute ’je ca bhidām aṇv api cakṣate nātmanaś ca janasyāpi tad yuṣmān vayam īmahi

Such devotees see not the slightest difference between me, the infallible Vishnu, and Brahma; nor do they see any difference between their own self and others. It is for this that we honor you.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.12.10.23)

न ह्यम्मयानि तीर्थानि न देवाश्चेतनोज्झिताः । ते पुनन्त्युरुकालेन यूयं दर्शनमात्रतः ॥ २३ ॥

na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ te punanty uru-kālena yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ

Sacred waters are not truly holy places, nor are lifeless images truly gods; those purify only after a long time, but you purify merely by being seen.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.12.10.24)

ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्यामो येऽस्मद्रूपं त्रयीमयम् । बिभ्रत्यात्मसमाधानतपःस्वाध्यायसंयमैः ॥ २४ ॥

brāhmaṇebhyo namasyāmo ye ’smad-rūpaṁ trayī-mayam bibhraty ātma-samādhāna- tapaḥ-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ

We bow to those brahmanas who, through self-absorption, austerity, scriptural study and self-restraint, carry within themselves our own form composed of the three Vedas.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.12.10.25)

श्रवणाद् दर्शनाद् वापि महापातकिनोऽपि वः । शुध्येरन्नन्त्यजाश्चापि किमु सम्भाषणादिभिः ॥ २५ ॥

śravaṇād darśanād vāpi mahā-pātakino ’pi vaḥ śudhyerann antya-jāś cāpi kim u sambhāṣaṇādibhiḥ

Even the greatest sinners and the lowest-born are purified simply by hearing of you or seeing you — how much more, then, by speaking directly with you!

Verse 26 (bhagavata.12.10.26)

सूत उवाच इति चन्द्रललामस्य धर्मगुह्योपबृंहितम् । वचोऽमृतायनमृषिर्नातृप्यत् कर्णयोः पिबन् ॥ २६ ॥

sūta uvāca iti candra-lalāmasya dharma-gahyopabṛṁhitam vaco ’mṛtāyanam ṛṣir nātṛpyat karṇayoḥ piban

Suta said: Thus, drinking through his ears the nectar-flowing words of the moon-crested Lord, full of the deep secret of dharma, the sage could not be satisfied.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.12.10.27)

स चिरं मायया विष्णोर्भ्रामितः कर्शितो भृशम् । शिववागमृतध्वस्तक्लेशपुञ्जस्तमब्रवीत् ॥ २७ ॥

sa ciraṁ māyayā viṣṇor bhrāmitaḥ karśito bhṛśam śiva-vāg-amṛta-dhvasta- kleśa-puñjas tam abravīt

Long tormented and worn out by Vishnu's maya, all his accumulated suffering now destroyed by the nectar of Shiva's words, he spoke to him thus.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.12.10.28)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच अहो ईश्वरलीलेयं दुर्विभाव्या शरीरिणाम् । यन्नमन्तीशितव्यानि स्तुवन्ति जगदीश्वराः ॥ २८ ॥

śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca aho īśvara-līleyaṁ durvibhāvyā śarīriṇām yan namantīśitavyāni stuvanti jagad-īśvarāḥ

Shri Markandeya said: Ah, how impossible this play of the Lord is for embodied beings to fathom — that the very rulers of the universe bow down to and praise those whom they themselves rule!

Verse 29 (bhagavata.12.10.29)

धर्मं ग्राहयितुं प्रायः प्रवक्तारश्च देहिनाम् । आचरन्त्यनुमोदन्ते क्रियमाणं स्तुवन्ति च ॥ २९ ॥

dharmaṁ grāhayituṁ prāyaḥ pravaktāraś ca dehinām ācaranty anumodante kriyamāṇaṁ stuvanti ca

For the most part, those who teach dharma to embodied beings themselves practice it, approve of it when it is practiced, and praise it — simply to make others accept it.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.12.10.30)

नैतावता भगवतः स्वमायामयवृत्तिभिः । न दुष्येतानुभावस्तैर्मायिनः कुहकं यथा ॥ ३० ॥

naitāvatā bhagavataḥ sva-māyā-maya-vṛttibhiḥ na duṣyetānubhāvas tair māyinaḥ kuhakaṁ yathā

By such conduct, born of His own illusory power, the Lord's true glory is in no way diminished — just as a magician's power is not lessened by the tricks he performs.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.12.10.31)

सृष्ट्वेदं मनसा विश्वमात्मनानुप्रविश्य यः । गुणैः कुर्वद्भिराभाति कर्तेव स्वप्नदृग् यथा ॥ ३१ ॥

sṛṣṭvedaṁ manasā viśvam ātmanānupraviśya yaḥ guṇaiḥ kurvadbhir ābhāti karteva svapna-dṛg yathā

He who, having created this universe by mere thought, enters it as the Self, and, through the actions of the gunas, appears to be the doer — like a dreamer within his own dream —

Verse 32 (bhagavata.12.10.32)

तस्मै नमो भगवते त्रिगुणाय गुणात्मने । केवलायाद्वितीयाय गुरवे ब्रह्ममूर्तये ॥ ३२ ॥

tasmai namo bhagavate tri-guṇāya guṇātmane kevalāyādvitīyāya gurave brahma-mūrtaye

— to Him, the Supreme Lord, who assumes the three gunas yet is their very self, who is alone and without a second, the guru, the very form of Brahman — to Him I bow.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.12.10.33)

कं वृणे नु परं भूमन् वरं त्वद् वरदर्शनात् । यद्दर्शनात् पूर्णकामः सत्यकामः पुमान् भवेत् ॥ ३३ ॥

kaṁ vṛṇe nu paraṁ bhūman varaṁ tvad vara-darśanāt yad-darśanāt pūrṇa-kāmaḥ satya-kāmaḥ pumān bhavet

O all-pervading one, what higher boon could I ask beyond the boon of seeing you — a sight by which a man becomes fulfilled in every desire, his every wish made true?

Verse 34 (bhagavata.12.10.34)

वरमेकं वृणेऽथापि पूर्णात् कामाभिवर्षणात् । भगवत्यच्युतां भक्तिं तत्परेषु तथा त्वयि ॥ ३४ ॥

varam ekaṁ vṛṇe ’thāpi pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi

Yet, from you who shower down every desire in its fullness, I ask for this one boon: unwavering devotion to the Supreme Lord, and likewise to His devotees, and to you.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.12.10.35)

सूत उवाच इत्यर्चितोऽभिष्टुतश्च मुनिना सूक्तया गिरा । तमाह भगवाञ्छर्वः शर्वया चाभिनन्दितः ॥ ३५ ॥

sūta uvāca ity arcito ’bhiṣṭutaś ca muninā sūktayā girā tam āha bhagavāñ charvaḥ śarvayā cābhinanditaḥ

Suta said: Thus worshipped and praised by the sage with well-spoken words, Lord Sharva, gladdened also by Sharvani, spoke to him.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.12.10.36)

कामो महर्षे सर्वोऽयं भक्तिमांस्त्वमधोक्षजे । आकल्पान्ताद् यशः पुण्यमजरामरता तथा ॥ ३६ ॥

kāmo maharṣe sarvo ’yaṁ bhaktimāṁs tvam adhokṣaje ā-kalpāntād yaśaḥ puṇyam ajarāmaratā tathā

O great sage, since you are devoted to the transcendent Lord, every one of these desires shall be fulfilled: fame, merit, and freedom from old age and death, lasting until the end of this kalpa.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.12.10.37)

ज्ञानं त्रैकालिकं ब्रह्मन् विज्ञानं च विरक्तिमत् । ब्रह्मवर्चस्विनो भूयात् पुराणाचार्यतास्तु ते ॥ ३७ ॥

jñānaṁ trai-kālikaṁ brahman vijñānaṁ ca viraktimat brahma-varcasvino bhūyāt purāṇācāryatāstu te

May you have knowledge of the three times, O brahmana, and realized wisdom joined with renunciation; may you shine with brahminical radiance, and may you become an acharya of the Puranas.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.12.10.38)

सूत उवाच एवं वरान् स मुनये दत्त्वागात् त्र्यक्ष ईश्वरः । देव्यै तत्कर्म कथयन्ननुभूतं पुरामुना ॥ ३८ ॥

sūta uvāca evaṁ varān sa munaye dattvāgāt try-akṣa īśvaraḥ devyai tat-karma kathayann anubhūtaṁ purāmunā

Suta said: Having thus granted these boons to the sage, the three-eyed Lord departed, relating to the goddess the deeds that Markandeya had earlier experienced.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.12.10.39)

सोऽप्यवाप्तमहायोगमहिमा भार्गवोत्तमः । विचरत्यधुनाप्यद्धा हरावेकान्ततां गतः ॥ ३९ ॥

so ’py avāpta-mahā-yoga- mahimā bhārgavottamaḥ vicaraty adhunāpy addhā harāv ekāntatāṁ gataḥ

That foremost of the Bhrigus, having attained the glory of the great yoga, wanders about this world even now, wholly devoted to Lord Hari alone.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.12.10.40)

अनुवर्णितमेतत्ते मार्कण्डेयस्य धीमतः । अनुभूतं भगवतो मायावैभवमद्भुतम् ॥ ४० ॥

anuvarṇitam etat te mārkaṇḍeyasya dhīmataḥ anubhūtaṁ bhagavato māyā-vaibhavam adbhutam

I have thus fully related to you this wondrous experience of the wise Markandeya — his encounter with the astonishing opulence of the Lord's maya.

Verse 41 (bhagavata.12.10.41)

एतत् केचिदविद्वांसो मायासंसृतिरात्मनः । अनाद्यावर्तितं नृणां कादाचित्कं प्रचक्षते ॥ ४१ ॥

etat kecid avidvāṁso māyā-saṁsṛtir ātmanaḥ anādy-āvartitaṁ nṝṇāṁ kādācitkaṁ pracakṣate

Some who lack true understanding describe this simply as the beginningless, recurring cycle of maya through which the soul repeatedly passes — treating it as an ordinary, occasional occurrence.

Verse 42 (bhagavata.12.10.42)

य एवमेतद् भृगुवर्य वर्णितं रथाङ्गपाणेरनुभावभावितम् । संश्रावयेत् संशृणुयादु तावुभौ तयोर्न कर्माशयसंसृतिर्भवेत् ॥ ४२ ॥

ya evam etad bhṛgu-varya varṇitaṁ rathāṅga-pāṇer anubhāva-bhāvitam saṁśrāvayet saṁśṛṇuyād u tāv ubhau tayor na karmāśaya-saṁsṛtir bhavet

O best of the Bhrigus, whoever recounts this narration, imbued with the glory of the Lord who bears the discus, to another, or hears it himself — for both of them, the bondage of the cycle of karma-driven existence shall never arise.