The Birth of Martanda

Verse 1 (markandeya.102.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स्वतेजसस्तस्मादाविर्भूतो विभावसुः । अदृश्यत तदादित्यस्तप्तताम्रोपमप्रभः ॥ 102.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tataḥ svatejasastasmādāvirbhūto vibhāvasuḥ adṛśyata tadādityastaptatāmropamaprabhaḥ

Markandeya said: Then, from that very radiance of his own, the resplendent one became manifest; that Aditya was seen, glowing like heated copper.

Verse 2 (markandeya.102.2)

अथ तां प्रणतां देवीं तस्य संदर्शनान्मुने । प्राह भास्वन्वृणुष्वेष्टवरं मत्तो यमिच्छसि ॥ 102.2 ॥

atha tāṁ praṇatāṁ devīṁ tasya saṁdarśanānmune prāha bhāsvanvṛṇuṣveṣṭavaraṁ matto yamicchasi

Then, O sage, upon her sight of him, the radiant one said to that bowing goddess: 'Choose the boon you desire — whatever you wish from me.'

Verse 3 (markandeya.102.3)

प्रणता शिरसा सा च जानुपीडितमेदिनी । प्रत्युवाच विवस्वन्तं वरदं समुपस्थितम् ॥ 102.3 ॥

praṇatā śirasā sā ca jānupīḍitamedinī pratyuvāca vivasvantaṁ varadaṁ samupasthitam

She, bowing with her head, her knees pressed to the earth, replied to Vivasvat, the boon-giver, who stood before her.

Verse 4 (markandeya.102.4)

देव प्रसीद पुत्राणां हृतं त्रिभुवनं मम । यज्ञभागाश्च दैत्यैश्च दानवैश्च बलाधिकैः ॥ 102.4 ॥

deva prasīda putrāṇāṁ hṛtaṁ tribhuvanaṁ mama yajñabhāgāśca daityaiśca dānavaiśca balādhikaiḥ

'O god, be gracious — my sons' three worlds have been seized, and their portion of sacrifice too, by the Daityas and the mighty Danavas.'

Verse 5 (markandeya.102.5)

तन्निमित्तं प्रसादं त्वं कुरुष्व मम गोपते । अंशेन तेषां भ्रातृत्वं गत्वा नाशय तद्रिपून् ॥ 102.5 ॥

tannimittaṁ prasādaṁ tvaṁ kuruṣva mama gopate aṁśena teṣāṁ bhrātṛtvaṁ gatvā nāśaya tadripūn

'For that reason be gracious to me, O protector; going, by a portion of yourself, as their brother, destroy those enemies of theirs.'

Verse 6 (markandeya.102.6)

यथा मे तनया भूयो यज्ञभागभुजः प्रभो । भवेयुरधिपाश्चैव त्रैलोक्यस्य दिवाकर ॥ 102.6 ॥

yathā me tanayā bhūyo yajñabhāgabhujaḥ prabho bhaveyuradhipāścaiva trailokyasya divākara

'So that my sons, O Lord Divakara, may once again become the enjoyers of the sacrificial portion and the lords of the three worlds.'

Verse 7 (markandeya.102.7)

तथानुकम्पां पुत्राणां सुप्रसन्नो रवे मम । कुरु प्रपन्नार्तिहर स्थितिकर्त्ता त्वमुच्यसे ॥ 102.7 ॥

tathānukampāṁ putrāṇāṁ suprasanno rave mama kuru prapannārtihara sthitikarttā tvamucyase

'Thus, well pleased, O Sun, show compassion for my sons — you who remove the suffering of those who take refuge in you, you who are called the sustainer.'

Verse 8 (markandeya.102.8)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततस्तामाह भगवान्भास्करो वारितस्करः । प्रणतामदितिं विप्र प्रसादसुमुखो विभुः ॥ 102.8 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tatastāmāha bhagavānbhāskaro vāritaskaraḥ praṇatāmaditiṁ vipra prasādasumukho vibhuḥ

Markandeya said: Then the illustrious Bhaskara, averter of thieves, the mighty lord, his face gracious with favour, spoke to Aditi, O Brahmin, who bowed before him.

Verse 9 (markandeya.102.9)

सहस्रांशेन ते गर्भे सम्भूयाहमशेषतः । त्वत्पुत्रशत्रूनदिते नाशयाम्याशु निर्वृतः ॥ 102.9 ॥

sahasrāṁśena te garbhe sambhūyāhamaśeṣataḥ tvatputraśatrūnadite nāśayāmyāśu nirvṛtaḥ

'By a thousandth part, having come together wholly in your womb, O Aditi, I shall swiftly and joyfully destroy the enemies of your sons.'

Verse 10 (markandeya.102.10)

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्भास्वानन्तर्द्धानमुपागमत् । निवृत्ता सापि तपसः संतृप्ताखिलवाञ्छिता ॥ 102.10 ॥

ityuktvā bhagavānbhāsvānantarddhānamupāgamat nivṛttā sāpi tapasaḥ saṁtṛptākhilavāñchitā

Having said this, the illustrious radiant one vanished; and she too, satisfied, all her wishes fulfilled, ceased from her austerity.

Verse 11 (markandeya.102.11)

ततो रश्मिसहस्रात्तु सौषुम्नाख्यो रवेः करः । विप्रावतारं संचक्रे देवमातुरथोदरे ॥ 102.11 ॥

tato raśmisahasrāttu sauṣumnākhyo raveḥ karaḥ viprāvatāraṁ saṁcakre devamāturathodare

Then, from among his thousand rays, the Sun's ray called Sushumna brought about a Brahmin's descent into the womb of the mother of the gods.

Verse 12 (markandeya.102.12)

कृच्छ्रचान्द्रायणादीनि सा च चक्रे समाहिता । शुचिः संधारयामास दिव्यं गर्भमिति द्विज ॥ 102.12 ॥

kṛcchracāndrāyaṇādīni sā ca cakre samāhitā śuciḥ saṁdhārayāmāsa divyaṁ garbhamiti dvija

And she, composed in mind, undertook the Krichchhra, Chandrayana, and similar austerities; and remaining pure, O Brahmin, she bore that divine embryo.

Verse 13 (markandeya.102.13)

ततस्तां कश्यपः प्राह किञ्चित्कोपप्लुताक्षरम् । किं मारयसि गर्भाण्डमिति नित्योपवासिनी ॥ 102.13 ॥

tatastāṁ kaśyapaḥ prāha kiñcitkopaplutākṣaram kiṁ mārayasi garbhāṇḍamiti nityopavāsinī

Then Kashyapa, his words somewhat charged with anger, said to her: 'Why, ever fasting as you are, do you kill this egg-embryo?'

Verse 14 (markandeya.102.14)

सा च तं प्राह गर्भाण्डमेतत्पश्येति कोपना । न मारितं विपक्षाणां मृत्यवे तद्भविष्यति ॥ 102.14 ॥

sā ca taṁ prāha garbhāṇḍametatpaśyeti kopanā na māritaṁ vipakṣāṇāṁ mṛtyave tadbhaviṣyati

And she, angered, said to him: 'Look — this egg-embryo is not being killed; it shall become the cause of death for our enemies.'

Verse 15 (markandeya.102.15)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा गर्भमुत्ससर्ज्ज सुरारणिः । जाज्वल्यमानं तेजोभिः पत्युर्वचनकोपिता ॥ 102.15 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityuktvā taṁ tadā garbhamutsasarjja surāraṇiḥ jājvalyamānaṁ tejobhiḥ patyurvacanakopitā

Markandeya said: Having said this, Aditi, that kindling-stick of the gods, provoked by her husband's words, then cast forth that embryo, blazing with radiance.

Verse 16 (markandeya.102.16)

तं दृष्ट्वा कश्यपो गर्भमुद्यद्भास्करवर्च्चसम् । तुष्टाव प्रणतो भूत्वा ऋग्भिराद्याभिरादरात् ॥ 102.16 ॥

taṁ dṛṣṭvā kaśyapo garbhamudyadbhāskaravarccasam tuṣṭāva praṇato bhūtvā ṛgbhirādyābhirādarāt

Seeing that embryo, rising with the splendour of the Sun, Kashyapa, bowing down, praised it reverently with the opening verses of the Rig.

Verse 17 (markandeya.102.17)

संस्तूयमानः स तदा गर्भाण्डात्प्रकटोऽभवत् । पद्मपत्रसवर्णाभस्तेजसा व्याप्तदिङ्मुखः ॥ 102.17 ॥

saṁstūyamānaḥ sa tadā garbhāṇḍātprakaṭo ’bhavat padmapatrasavarṇābhastejasā vyāptadiṅmukhaḥ

Thus praised, it then became manifest, breaking forth from the egg-embryo — the colour of a lotus leaf, its radiance pervading every quarter.

Verse 18 (markandeya.102.18)

अथान्तरिक्षादाभाष्य कश्यपं मुनिसत्तमम् । सतोयमेघगम्भीरवागुवाचाशरीरिणी ॥ 102.18 ॥

athāntarikṣādābhāṣya kaśyapaṁ munisattamam satoyameghagambhīravāguvācāśarīriṇī

Then, from the sky, addressing Kashyapa, best of sages, a bodiless voice, deep as a rain-laden cloud, spoke:

Verse 19 (markandeya.102.19)

मारितं ते यतः प्रोक्तमेतदण्डं त्वया मुने । तस्मान्मुने सुतस्तेऽयं मार्त्तण्डाख्यो भविष्यति ॥ 102.19 ॥

māritaṁ te yataḥ proktametadaṇḍaṁ tvayā mune tasmānmune sutaste ’yaṁ mārttaṇḍākhyo bhaviṣyati

'Since you, O sage, said that this egg was being killed [in anger], for that reason, O sage, this son of yours shall be named Martanda.'

Verse 20 (markandeya.102.20)

सूर्याधिकारं च विभुर्जगत्येष करिष्यति । हनिष्यत्यसुरांश्चायं यज्ञभागहरानरीन् ॥ 102.20 ॥

sūryādhikāraṁ ca vibhurjagatyeṣa kariṣyati haniṣyatyasurāṁścāyaṁ yajñabhāgaharānarīn

'This mighty one will take up the office of the Sun in the world; and he will slay the Asuras — those enemies who steal the portion of sacrifice.'

Verse 21 (markandeya.102.21)

देवा निशम्येति वचो गगनात्समुपागमन् । प्रहर्षमतुलं याता दानवाश्च हतौजसः ॥ 102.21 ॥

devā niśamyeti vaco gaganātsamupāgaman praharṣamatulaṁ yātā dānavāśca hataujasaḥ

Hearing this word, the gods came together from the sky, filled with matchless joy; while the Danavas, their power broken, [lost heart].

Verse 22 (markandeya.102.22)

ततो युद्धाय दैतेयानाजुहाव शतक्रतुः । सह देवैर्मुदा युक्तो दानवाश्च समभ्ययुः ॥ 102.22 ॥

tato yuddhāya daiteyānājuhāva śatakratuḥ saha devairmudā yukto dānavāśca samabhyayuḥ

Then Shatakratu (Indra) summoned the sons of Diti to battle; joined joyfully with the gods, and the Danavas advanced together to meet them.

Verse 23 (markandeya.102.23)

तेषां युद्धमभूद्घोरं देवानामसुरैः सह । शस्त्रास्त्रदीप्तिसंदीप्तं समस्तभुवनान्तरम् ॥ 102.23 ॥

teṣāṁ yuddhamabhūdghoraṁ devānāmasuraiḥ saha śastrāstradīptisaṁdīptaṁ samastabhuvanāntaram

A terrible battle took place between the gods and the Asuras, blazing with the flash of weapons and missiles, filling every region of the universe.

Verse 24 (markandeya.102.24)

तस्मिन्युद्धे भगवता मार्त्तण्डेन निरीक्षिताः । तेजसा दह्यमानास्ते भस्मीभूता महासुराः ॥ 102.24 ॥

tasminyuddhe bhagavatā mārttaṇḍena nirīkṣitāḥ tejasā dahyamānāste bhasmībhūtā mahāsurāḥ

In that battle, those great Asuras, gazed upon by the illustrious Martanda, were consumed by his radiance and reduced to ashes.

Verse 25 (markandeya.102.25)

ततः प्रहर्षमतुलं प्राप्ताः सर्वे दिवौकसः । तुष्टुवुस्तेजसा योनिं मार्त्तण्डमदितिं तथा ॥ 102.25 ॥

tataḥ praharṣamatulaṁ prāptāḥ sarve divaukasaḥ tuṣṭuvustejasā yoniṁ mārttaṇḍamaditiṁ tathā

Then all the dwellers of heaven, filled with matchless joy, praised, on account of that radiance, both its source and Martanda and Aditi as well.

Verse 26 (markandeya.102.26)

स्वाधिकारांस्तथा प्राप्ता यज्ञभागांश्च पूर्ववत् । भगवानपि मार्तण्डः स्वाधिकारमथाकरोत् ॥ 102.26 ॥

svādhikārāṁstathā prāptā yajñabhāgāṁśca pūrvavat bhagavānapi mārtaṇḍaḥ svādhikāramathākarot

Having thus regained their own offices and their portions of sacrifice as before, the illustrious Martanda too then took up his own office.

Verse 27 (markandeya.102.27)

कदम्बपुष्पवद्भास्वानधश्चोर्ध्वं च रश्मिभिः । वृत्ताग्निपिण्डसदृशो दध्रे नातिस्फुरद्वपुः ॥ 102.27 ॥

kadambapuṣpavadbhāsvānadhaścordhvaṁ ca raśmibhiḥ vṛttāgnipiṇḍasadṛśo dadhre nātisphuradvapuḥ

Like the kadamba flower, the radiant one, with his rays spread both below and above, assumed a body like a round mass of fire, not overly dazzling.