The Greatness of the Sun

Verse 1 (markandeya.105.1)

एवं सूर्यस्तवं कुर्वन्विश्वकर्मा दिवस्पतेः । तेजसः षोडशं भागं मण्डलस्थमधारयत् ॥ 105.1 ॥

evaṁ sūryastavaṁ kurvanviśvakarmā divaspateḥ tejasaḥ ṣoḍaśaṁ bhāgaṁ maṇḍalasthamadhārayat

Thus, even as he composed this hymn to the Sun, Vishvakarma took hold of the radiance dwelling in the orb of the lord of the sky and divided it into sixteen parts.

Verse 2 (markandeya.105.2)

शातितैस्तेजसो भागैर्दर्शभिः पञ्चभिस्तथा । अतीवकान्तिमच्चारु भानोरासीत्तदा वपुः ॥ 105.2 ॥

śātitaistejaso bhāgairdarśabhiḥ pañcabhistathā atīvakāntimaccāru bhānorāsīttadā vapuḥ

Of these, ten parts having been pared away, and five more besides, the Sun's remaining form then became exceedingly lovely and radiant.

Verse 3 (markandeya.105.3)

शातितं चास्य यत्तेजस्तेन चक्रं विनिर्मितम् । विष्णोः शूलं च शर्वस्य शिबिका धनदस्य च ॥ 105.3 ॥

śātitaṁ cāsya yattejastena cakraṁ vinirmitam viṣṇoḥ śūlaṁ ca śarvasya śibikā dhanadasya ca

From that radiance which had been pared away, his discus was fashioned for Vishnu, the trident for Shiva, the palanquin for Kubera,

Verse 4 (markandeya.105.4)

दण्डः प्रेतपतेः शक्तिर्देवसेनापतेस्तथा । अन्येषां चैव देवानामायुधानि स विश्वकृत् ॥ 105.4 ॥

daṇḍaḥ pretapateḥ śaktirdevasenāpatestathā anyeṣāṁ caiva devānāmāyudhāni sa viśvakṛt

the staff for the lord of the departed, the spear for the commander of the gods' army, and weapons for the other gods besides — all these the All-Maker fashioned.

Verse 5 (markandeya.105.5)

चकार तेजसा भानोर्भासुराण्यरिशान्तये । इति शातिततेजाः स शुशुभे नातितेजसा ॥ 105.5 ॥

cakāra tejasā bhānorbhāsurāṇyariśāntaye iti śātitatejāḥ sa śuśubhe nātitejasā

He made them radiant with the Sun's own splendor, for the destruction of enemies; and thus, his radiance pared down, the Sun shone forth in beauty, no longer excessive in his brilliance.

Verse 6 (markandeya.105.6)

वपुर्दधार मार्त्तण्डः सर्वावयवशोभनम् । स ददर्श समाधिस्थः स्वां भार्यां वडवाकृतिम् ॥ 105.6 ॥

vapurdadhāra mārttaṇḍaḥ sarvāvayavaśobhanam sa dadarśa samādhisthaḥ svāṁ bhāryāṁ vaḍavākṛtim

Martanda (the Sun) bore a form beautiful in every limb; and once, while absorbed in meditation, he beheld his own wife in the form of a mare.

Verse 7 (markandeya.105.7)

अधृष्यां सर्वभूतानां तपसा नियमेन च । उत्तरांश्च कुरून्गत्वा भूत्वाऽश्वो भानुरागमत् ॥ 105.7 ॥

adhṛṣyāṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ tapasā niyamena ca uttarāṁśca kurūngatvā bhūtvā’śvo bhānurāgamat

By her austerity and self-restraint she had become unassailable by any being; going to the land of the Northern Kurus, the Sun himself, taking the form of a horse, approached her there.

Verse 8 (markandeya.105.8)

सा च दृष्ट्वा तमायान्तं परपुंसो विशङ्कया । जगाम सम्मुखे तस्य पृष्ठरक्षणतत्परा ॥ 105.8 ॥

sā ca dṛṣṭvā tamāyāntaṁ parapuṁso viśaṅkayā jagāma sammukhe tasya pṛṣṭharakṣaṇatatparā

Seeing him approach, and fearing he might be some other male, she turned to face him, intent on guarding herself from behind.

Verse 9 (markandeya.105.9)

ततश्च नासिकायोगं तयोस्तत्र समेतयोः । वडवायं च तत्तेजो नासिकाभ्यां विवस्वतः ॥ 105.9 ॥

tataśca nāsikāyogaṁ tayostatra sametayoḥ vaḍavāyaṁ ca tattejo nāsikābhyāṁ vivasvataḥ

Then, as the two came together there, their nostrils met; and from the nostrils of the mare and of Vivasvat, that radiance passed.

Verse 10 (markandeya.105.10)

देवौ तत्र समुत्पन्नावश्विनौ भिषजां वरौ । नासत्यदस्रौ तनयावश्विवक्त्राद्विनिर्गतौ ॥ 105.10 ॥

devau tatra samutpannāvaśvinau bhiṣajāṁ varau nāsatyadasrau tanayāvaśvivaktrādvinirgatau

There the two gods were born, the Ashvins, foremost among physicians — the twin sons Nasatya and Dasra, who emerged from the mouths of the two horses.

Verse 11 (markandeya.105.11)

मार्त्तण्डस्य सुतावेतावश्वरूपधरस्य हि । रेतसोऽन्ते च रेवन्तः खड्गी धन्वी तनुत्रधृक् ॥ 105.11 ॥

mārttaṇḍasya sutāvetāvaśvarūpadharasya hi retaso’nte ca revantaḥ khaḍgī dhanvī tanutradhṛk

These two were the sons of Martanda in his horse-form; and at the very last of his seed, Revanta was born, sword-bearing, bow-bearing, clad in armor,

Verse 12 (markandeya.105.12)

अश्वारूढः समुद्भूतो बाणतूणसमन्वितः । ततः स्वरूपममलं दर्शयामास भानुमान् ॥ 105.12 ॥

aśvārūḍhaḥ samudbhūto bāṇatūṇasamanvitaḥ tataḥ svarūpamamalaṁ darśayāmāsa bhānumān

mounted upon a horse, born together with quiver and arrows. Then the radiant Sun revealed to her his own unveiled, true form.

Verse 13 (markandeya.105.13)

तस्य शान्तं समालोक्य सा रूपं मुदमाददे । स्वरूपधारिणीं चेमां स निनाय निजालयम् ॥ 105.13 ॥

tasya śāntaṁ samālokya sā rūpaṁ mudamādade svarūpadhāriṇīṁ cemāṁ sa nināya nijālayam

Beholding that peaceful form of his, she took delight in it; and he then led her, now restored to her own true form, to his own abode.

Verse 14 (markandeya.105.14)

संज्ञां भार्यां प्रीतिमतीं भास्करो वारितस्करः । ततः पूर्वसुतो योऽस्याः सोऽभूद्वैवस्वतो मनुः ॥ 105.14 ॥

saṁjñāṁ bhāryāṁ prītimatīṁ bhāskaro vāritaskaraḥ tataḥ pūrvasuto yo’syāḥ so’bhūdvaivasvato manuḥ

Bhaskara, the averter of thieves, took to himself Sanjna, his beloved wife; and thereafter her firstborn son became Vaivasvata Manu.

Verse 15 (markandeya.105.15)

द्वितीयश्च यमः शापाद्धर्मदृष्टिरनुग्रहात् । यमस्तु तेन शापेन भृशं पीडितमानसः ॥ 105.15 ॥

dvitīyaśca yamaḥ śāpāddharmadṛṣṭiranugrahāt yamastu tena śāpena bhṛśaṁ pīḍitamānasaḥ

The second son was Yama, who through a curse turned, by grace, into 'Dharmadrishti'; but Yama, greatly afflicted in mind by that very curse—

Verse 16 (markandeya.105.16)

धर्मोऽभिरोचते यस्माद्धर्मराजस्ततः स्मृतः । कृमयो मांसमादाय पादतस्ते महीतलम् ॥ 105.16 ॥

dharmo’bhirocate yasmāddharmarājastataḥ smṛtaḥ kṛmayo māṁsamādāya pādataste mahītalam

—because Dharma pleased him he was thereafter known as Dharmaraja; the curse being that worms would take his flesh and let it fall from his feet upon the earth,

Verse 17 (markandeya.105.17)

पतिष्यन्तीति शापान्तं तस्य चक्रे पिता स्वयम् । धर्मदृष्टिर्यतश्चासौ समो मित्रे तथाऽहिते ॥ 105.17 ॥

patiṣyantīti śāpāntaṁ tasya cakre pitā svayam dharmadṛṣṭiryataścāsau samo mitre tathā’hite

'thus shall it fall' — his own father himself set this term to the curse; and because Yama remained even-minded toward friend and foe alike, his 'Dharma-gaze' was confirmed,

Verse 18 (markandeya.105.18)

ततो नियोगे तं याम्ये चकार तिमिरापहः । तस्मै ददौ पिता विप्र भगवांल्लोकपालताम् ॥ 105.18 ॥

tato niyoge taṁ yāmye cakāra timirāpahaḥ tasmai dadau pitā vipra bhagavāṁllokapālatām

and so the dispeller of darkness then appointed him to the office of the southern quarter; his father, the Lord, gave him, O Brahmin, the rank of a guardian of the world,

Verse 19 (markandeya.105.19)

पितॄणामाधिपत्यं च परितुष्टो दिवाकरः । यमुनां च नदीं चक्रे कलिंदान्तरवाहिनीम् ॥ 105.19 ॥

pitṝṇāmādhipatyaṁ ca parituṣṭo divākaraḥ yamunāṁ ca nadīṁ cakre kaliṁdāntaravāhinīm

and, being well satisfied, dominion over the ancestors besides; and Divakara also brought forth the river Yamuna, flowing down through Mount Kalinda.

Verse 20 (markandeya.105.20)

अश्विनौ देवभिषजौ कृतौ पित्रा महात्मना । गुह्यकाधिपतित्वे च रेवन्तो विनियोजितः ॥ 105.20 ॥

aśvinau devabhiṣajau kṛtau pitrā mahātmanā guhyakādhipatitve ca revanto viniyojitaḥ

The two Ashvins were made physicians of the gods by their great-souled father, and Revanta was appointed to the lordship of the Guhyakas.

Verse 21 (markandeya.105.21)

एवमप्याह च ततो भगवांल्लोकभावितः । त्वमप्यशेषलोकस्य पूज्यो वत्स भविष्यसि ॥ 105.21 ॥

evamapyāha ca tato bhagavāṁllokabhāvitaḥ tvamapyaśeṣalokasya pūjyo vatsa bhaviṣyasi

Then the Lord, the nurturer of the world, said further: 'You too, my child, shall become worthy of worship by the whole world.'

Verse 22 (markandeya.105.22)

अरण्यादिमहादाववैरिदस्युभयेषु च । त्वां स्मरिष्यन्ति ये मर्त्या मोक्ष्यन्ते ते महापदः ॥ 105.22 ॥

araṇyādimahādāvavairidasyubhayeṣu ca tvāṁ smariṣyanti ye martyā mokṣyante te mahāpadaḥ

'In forests and other great wildernesses, amid dangers from enemies and robbers — those mortals who remember you shall be freed from grave calamity.'

Verse 23 (markandeya.105.23)

क्षेमं बुद्धिं सुखं राज्यमारोग्यं कीर्तिमुन्नतिम् । नराणां परितुष्टस्त्वं पूजितः सम्प्रदास्यसि ॥ 105.23 ॥

kṣemaṁ buddhiṁ sukhaṁ rājyamārogyaṁ kīrtimunnatim narāṇāṁ parituṣṭastvaṁ pūjitaḥ sampradāsyasi

'Security, wisdom, happiness, sovereignty, health, fame, and prosperity — being pleased and honored, you shall bestow all these upon men.'

Verse 24 (markandeya.105.24)

छायासंज्ञासुतश्चापि सावर्णिः सुमहायशाः । भाव्यः सोऽनागते काले मनुः सावर्णिकोऽष्टमः ॥ 105.24 ॥

chāyāsaṁjñāsutaścāpi sāvarṇiḥ sumahāyaśāḥ bhāvyaḥ so’nāgate kāle manuḥ sāvarṇiko’ṣṭamaḥ

From Chhaya, and from Sanjna's son too, the greatly renowned Savarni was born; in a future age he is destined to become the eighth Manu, Savarnika.

Verse 25 (markandeya.105.25)

मेरुपृष्ठे तपो घोरमद्यापि चरति प्रभुः । भ्राता शनैश्चरस्तस्य ग्रहोऽभूच्छासनाद्रवेः ॥ 105.25 ॥

merupṛṣṭhe tapo ghoramadyāpi carati prabhuḥ bhrātā śanaiścarastasya graho’bhūcchāsanādraveḥ

That lord even now practices fierce austerity upon the summit of Mount Meru; his brother, Shanaishchara, became a planet by the ordinance of the Sun himself.

Verse 26 (markandeya.105.26)

यवीयसी तु या कन्याऽऽदित्यस्याभूद्द्विजोत्तम । अभवत्सा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा तपती लोकपावनी ॥ 105.26 ॥

yavīyasī tu yā kanyā’’dityasyābhūddvijottama abhavatsā saricchreṣṭhā tapatī lokapāvanī

The younger daughter born to Aditya, O foremost of the twice-born, became the finest of rivers — Tapati, purifier of the worlds.

Verse 27 (markandeya.105.27)

यस्तु ज्येष्ठो महाभागः सर्गो यस्येह साम्प्रतम् । विस्तरं तस्य वक्ष्यामि मनोर्वैवस्वतस्य ह ॥ 105.27 ॥

yastu jyeṣṭho mahābhāgaḥ sargo yasyeha sāmpratam vistaraṁ tasya vakṣyāmi manorvaivasvatasya ha

But as for the eldest, the most illustrious one, whose progeny continues in this world even now — I shall now relate to you at length the lineage of Vaivasvata Manu.

Verse 28 (markandeya.105.28)

इदं यो जन्म देवानां शृणुयाद्धा पठेत वा । विवस्वतस्तनूजानां रवेर्माहात्म्यमेव च ॥ 105.28 ॥

idaṁ yo janma devānāṁ śṛṇuyāddhā paṭheta vā vivasvatastanūjānāṁ ravermāhātmyameva ca

Whoever hears, or indeed recites, this account of the birth of these gods — the sons of Vivasvat — and this greatness of the Sun,

Verse 29 (markandeya.105.29)

आपदं प्राप्य मुच्येत प्राप्नुयाच्च महायशः । अहोरात्रकृतं पापमेतच्छमयते श्रुतम् । माहात्म्यमादिदेवस्य मार्तण्डस्य महात्मनः ॥ 105.29 ॥

āpadaṁ prāpya mucyeta prāpnuyācca mahāyaśaḥ ahorātrakṛtaṁ pāpametacchamayate śrutam māhātmyamādidevasya mārtaṇḍasya mahātmanaḥ

having fallen into calamity, shall be freed from it and shall attain great fame; whatever sin is committed by day or by night, this account, once heard, dispels it — such is the greatness of the primordial god, the great-souled Martanda.