The Story of Khaninetra

Verse 1 (markandeya.117.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच तस्य पुत्रः खनीनेत्रो महाबलपराक्रमः । यस्य यज्ञेष्वगायन्त गन्धर्वा विस्मयान्विताः ॥ 117.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tasya putraḥ khanīnetro mahābalaparākramaḥ yasya yajñeṣvagāyanta gandharvā vismayānvitāḥ

Markandeya said: His son was Khaninetra, of great might and valor, at whose sacrifices the gandharvas, filled with wonder, would sing.

Verse 2 (markandeya.117.2)

खनीनेत्रसमो नान्यो भुवि यज्वा भविष्यति । तेन यज्ञायुते पूर्णे दत्ता पृथ्वी ससागरा ॥ 117.2 ॥

khanīnetrasamo nānyo bhuvi yajvā bhaviṣyati tena yajñāyute pūrṇe dattā pṛthvī sasāgarā

No other sacrificer on earth shall ever equal Khaninetra; when ten thousand sacrifices were completed, by him the whole earth together with its oceans was given away as a gift.

Verse 3 (markandeya.117.3)

दत्त्वा च सकलां पृथ्वीं ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । तपसा द्रव्यमासाद्य मोदयन्साधितेन यः ॥ 117.3 ॥

dattvā ca sakalāṁ pṛthvīṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ mahātmanām tapasā dravyamāsādya modayansādhitena yaḥ

And having given the entire earth to the great-souled brahmins, he, obtaining wealth through his own austerity, delighted them further with what he had thus acquired.

Verse 4 (markandeya.117.4)

यतश्च प्राप्य वित्तर्द्धिमतुलां दातृसत्तमात् । जगृहुर्ब्राह्मणा विप्र नान्यराज्ञः प्रतिग्रहम् ॥ 117.4 ॥

yataśca prāpya vittarddhimatulāṁ dātṛsattamāt jagṛhurbrāhmaṇā vipra nānyarājñaḥ pratigraham

And because, having received matchless abundance of wealth from that foremost of givers, the brahmins, O brahmin, thereafter took no gift from any other king.

Verse 5 (markandeya.117.5)

सप्तषष्टिसहस्राणि सप्तषष्टिशतानि च । सप्तषष्टिं च यो यज्ञानयजद् भूरिदक्षिणान् ॥ 117.5 ॥

saptaṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi saptaṣaṣṭiśatāni ca saptaṣaṣṭiṁ ca yo yajñānayajad bhūridakṣiṇān

He who performed sacrifices — sixty-seven thousand, and sixty-seven hundred, and sixty-seven — each attended with abundant sacrificial gifts.

Verse 6 (markandeya.117.6)

अपुत्रः स महीपालो मृगयामुपचक्रमे । पुत्रार्थं पितृयज्ञाय मांसकामो महामुने ॥ 117.6 ॥

aputraḥ sa mahīpālo mṛgayāmupacakrame putrārthaṁ pitṛyajñāya māṁsakāmo mahāmune

That king, being sonless, O great sage, set out on a hunt, desiring meat for the ancestral rite performed for the sake of obtaining a son.

Verse 7 (markandeya.117.7)

अश्वारूढो विना सैन्यमेक एव महावने । बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणो बाणखड्गधनुर्धरः ॥ 117.7 ॥

aśvārūḍho vinā sainyameka eva mahāvane baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇo bāṇakhaḍgadhanurdharaḥ

Mounted on horseback, alone and without an army, in the great forest, wearing a lizard-skin finger-guard, bearing arrow, sword, and bow.

Verse 8 (markandeya.117.8)

तं वाहयन्तं तुरगमन्यतो गहनाद्वनात् । विनिष्क्रम्य मृगः प्राह मां हत्वाभिमतं कुरु ॥ 117.8 ॥

taṁ vāhayantaṁ turagamanyato gahanādvanāt viniṣkramya mṛgaḥ prāha māṁ hatvābhimataṁ kuru

As he urged his horse onward, a deer, emerging suddenly from the dense forest thicket, said to him: "Kill me, and fulfil your desire."

Verse 9 (markandeya.117.9)

अन्ये मृगाः पलायन्ते महाभीत्या विलोक्य माम् । कथमात्मप्रदानं त्वं मृत्यवे कर्तुमिच्छसि ॥ 117.9 ॥

anye mṛgāḥ palāyante mahābhītyā vilokya mām kathamātmapradānaṁ tvaṁ mṛtyave kartumicchasi

[The king said:] "Other deer flee in great terror at the sight of me; why do you wish to offer yourself up to death?"

Verse 10 (markandeya.117.10)

मृग उवाच अपुत्रोऽहं महाराज वृथा जन्मप्रयोजनम् । विचारयन्न पश्यामि प्राणानामिह धारणम् ॥ 117.10 ॥

mṛga uvāca aputro ’haṁ mahārāja vṛthā janmaprayojanam vicārayanna paśyāmi prāṇānāmiha dhāraṇam

The deer said: "I am sonless, O great king; my birth has served no purpose. Reflecting on this, I see no reason to keep hold of my life here."

Verse 11 (markandeya.117.11)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच अथाभ्येत्य मृगः प्राह तमन्यो वसुधाधिपम् । मृगस्य तस्य प्रत्यक्षमलमेतेन पार्थिव ॥ 117.11 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca athābhyetya mṛgaḥ prāha tamanyo vasudhādhipam mṛgasya tasya pratyakṣamalametena pārthiva

Markandeya said: Then another deer, approaching, said to that lord of the earth, in the very presence of the first deer: "Enough of this one, O king!"

Verse 12 (markandeya.117.12)

घातयस्वेति मां मांसैर्मम कर्म समाचार । यथा कृतार्थता ते स्यान्मम चाप्युपकारि तत् ॥ 117.12 ॥

ghātayasveti māṁ māṁsairmama karma samācāra yathā kṛtārthatā te syānmama cāpyupakāri tat

"Kill me instead, and with my flesh perform your rite, so that your purpose may be accomplished, and it shall be of benefit to me as well."

Verse 13 (markandeya.117.13)

पुत्रार्थं त्वं महाराज स्वपितॄन्यष्टुमिच्छसि । अपुत्रस्यास्य मांसेन लप्स्यसे वाञ्छितं कथम् ॥ 117.13 ॥

putrārthaṁ tvaṁ mahārāja svapitṝnyaṣṭumicchasi aputrasyāsya māṁsena lapsyase vāñchitaṁ katham

"O great king, you desire to offer sacrifice to your ancestors for the sake of a son — how could you obtain your desired end with the flesh of this sonless one?"

Verse 14 (markandeya.117.14)

यादृक्कर्म विनिष्पाद्यं तादृग्द्रव्यमुपाहरेत् । दुर्गन्धैर्न सुगन्धानां गन्धज्ञानविनिर्णयः ॥ 117.14 ॥

yādṛkkarma viniṣpādyaṁ tādṛgdravyamupāharet durgandhairna sugandhānāṁ gandhajñānavinirṇayaḥ

"Whatever the deed to be accomplished, one should bring the fitting substance for it; the judgment of a fine fragrance is not made from foul-smelling things."

Verse 15 (markandeya.117.15)

राजोवाच वैराग्यकारणं प्रोक्तमनेनापुत्रता मम । कथ्यतां प्राणसंत्यागे यत्ते वैराग्यकारणम् ॥ 117.15 ॥

rājovāca vairāgyakāraṇaṁ proktamanenāputratā mama kathyatāṁ prāṇasaṁtyāge yatte vairāgyakāraṇam

The king said: "This one told me sonlessness is the cause of his renunciation of life. Tell me, what is the cause of your renunciation, that you would give up your life?"

Verse 16 (markandeya.117.16)

मृग उवाच बहवो मे सुता भूप बह्व्यो दुहितरस्तथा । यच्चिन्तादुःखदावाग्निज्वालामध्ये वसाम्यहम् ॥ 117.16 ॥

mṛga uvāca bahavo me sutā bhūpa bahvyo duhitarastathā yaccintāduḥkhadāvāgnijvālāmadhye vasāmyaham

The deer said: "O king, I have many sons and many daughters as well; because of them I dwell amid the blazing flames of the wildfire of anxious grief."

Verse 17 (markandeya.117.17)

सर्वसाध्या नरेन्द्रेयं मृगजातिः सुकातरा । तेष्वपत्येषु मे चातिममत्वं तेन दुःखितः ॥ 117.17 ॥

sarvasādhyā narendreyaṁ mṛgajātiḥ sukātarā teṣvapatyeṣu me cātimamatvaṁ tena duḥkhitaḥ

"O lord of men, this race of deer is timid and easily overcome by all; and my excessive attachment to those offspring of mine — because of that I am sorrowful."

Verse 18 (markandeya.117.18)

मनुष्यसिंहशार्दूलवृकादिभ्यो बिभेम्यहम् । विहीनात्सर्वसत्त्वेभ्यः श्वशृगालादपि प्रभो ॥ 117.18 ॥

manuṣyasiṁhaśārdūlavṛkādibhyo bibhemyaham vihīnātsarvasattvebhyaḥ śvaśṛgālādapi prabho

"I am afraid of men, lions, tigers, wolves, and the like, O lord — even of the meanest of all creatures, dogs and jackals."

Verse 19 (markandeya.117.19)

सोऽहं निमित्तं बन्धूनामिमां शून्यां वसुन्धराम् । नृसिंहादिभयात्सर्वामिच्छामि सुनृशंसकृत् ॥ 117.19 ॥

so ’haṁ nimittaṁ bandhūnāmimāṁ śūnyāṁ vasundharām nṛsiṁhādibhayātsarvāmicchāmi sunṛśaṁsakṛt

"For the sake of my kin, cruel though it seems, I wish this whole desolate earth were free of the fear caused by men, lions, and the rest."

Verse 20 (markandeya.117.20)

तृणान्यन्येऽपि खादन्ति गोऽजावितुरगादिकाः । तांस्तेषां पोषणायाहमिच्छामि निधनं गतान् ॥ 117.20 ॥

tṛṇānyanye ’pi khādanti go ’jāvituragādikāḥ tāṁsteṣāṁ poṣaṇāyāhamicchāmi nidhanaṁ gatān

"Others too — cows, goats, sheep, horses, and the like — eat grass; for the sake of my offspring's nourishment, I wish those others were dead."

Verse 21 (markandeya.117.21)

निष्क्रान्तेषु ततस्तेषु ममापत्येषु वै पृथक् । भवन्ति चिन्ताः शतशो ममत्वावृतचेतसः ॥ 117.21 ॥

niṣkrānteṣu tatasteṣu mamāpatyeṣu vai pṛthak bhavanti cintāḥ śataśo mamatvāvṛtacetasaḥ

"And when those offspring of mine go forth separately, hundreds of anxieties arise in me, my mind enveloped by attachment."

Verse 22 (markandeya.117.22)

किं कूटपाशं किं वज्रं वागुरां किं सुतो मम । प्राप्तश्चरन्वने किं वा नृसिंहादिवशं गतः ॥ 117.22 ॥

kiṁ kūṭapāśaṁ kiṁ vajraṁ vāgurāṁ kiṁ suto mama prāptaścaranvane kiṁ vā nṛsiṁhādivaśaṁ gataḥ

"Has my son, wandering in the forest, met a hidden snare? A thunderbolt? A hunting net? Or has he fallen into the power of a man, a lion, or the like?"

Verse 23 (markandeya.117.23)

प्राप्तोऽयमेकः सम्प्राप्तास्तेऽवस्थां कीदृशीं मम । साम्प्रतं ते चिरायन्ते ये गताः सुमहावनम् ॥ 117.23 ॥

prāpto ’yamekaḥ samprāptāste ’vasthāṁ kīdṛśīṁ mama sāmprataṁ te cirāyante ye gatāḥ sumahāvanam

"This one alone has returned — in what state, I wonder, are the others? Those who went into the great forest are taking so long to come back."

Verse 24 (markandeya.117.24)

दृष्टवा प्राप्तान्ममाभ्याशमहं तानात्मजान्नृप । ईषदुछ्रवसितः क्षेममिच्छामि रजनीं पुनः ॥ 117.24 ॥

dṛṣṭavā prāptānmamābhyāśamahaṁ tānātmajānnṛpa īṣaduchravasitaḥ kṣemamicchāmi rajanīṁ punaḥ

"Seeing those children of mine return safely into my presence, O king, I breathe a little easier — and then I wish again for the safety of the night that follows."

Verse 25 (markandeya.117.25)

प्रभाते दिवसं क्षेममस्तगेऽर्के निशामपि । वाञ्छाम्यहं कदा क्षेमं सर्वकालं भविष्यति ॥ 117.25 ॥

prabhāte divasaṁ kṣemamastage ’rke niśāmapi vāñchāmyahaṁ kadā kṣemaṁ sarvakālaṁ bhaviṣyati

"At dawn I long for the day's safety, and when the sun sets, for the night's safety too. When, I wonder, will there ever be safety at all times?"

Verse 26 (markandeya.117.26)

एतत्ते कथितं भूप महोद्वेगस्य कारणम् । अतः प्रसादं कुरु मे बाणोऽयं पात्यतां मयि ॥ 117.26 ॥

etatte kathitaṁ bhūpa mahodvegasya kāraṇam ataḥ prasādaṁ kuru me bāṇo ’yaṁ pātyatāṁ mayi

"This, O king, is the cause of my great anguish that I have told you. Therefore show me this favor — let this arrow of yours fall upon me."

Verse 27 (markandeya.117.27)

इति दुःखशताविष्टः प्राणान्नाहं त्यजामि यत् । तत्कारणं निबोध त्वं ब्रुवतो मम पार्थिव ॥ 117.27 ॥

iti duḥkhaśatāviṣṭaḥ prāṇānnāhaṁ tyajāmi yat tatkāraṇaṁ nibodha tvaṁ bruvato mama pārthiva

"Thus, though beset by a hundred sorrows, I do not give up my life on my own — hear, O king, from me as I explain, the reason for that."

Verse 28 (markandeya.117.28)

असूर्या नाम ते लोका यान्गच्छन्त्यात्मघातकाः । यज्ञोपयुक्ताः पशवः सम्प्रयान्युच्छ्रितिं प्रभो ॥ 117.28 ॥

asūryā nāma te lokā yāngacchantyātmaghātakāḥ yajñopayuktāḥ paśavaḥ samprayānyucchritiṁ prabho

"There are worlds called 'sunless' to which those who destroy themselves go; but animals employed in sacrifice attain exaltation instead, O lord."

Verse 29 (markandeya.117.29)

अग्निः पशुरभूत्पूर्वं पशुरासीज्जलाधिपः । भास्वानथोच्छ्रितीः प्राप्ता यज्ञे निष्ठामुपागताः ॥ 117.29 ॥

agniḥ paśurabhūtpūrvaṁ paśurāsījjalādhipaḥ bhāsvānathocchritīḥ prāptā yajñe niṣṭhāmupāgatāḥ

"Agni was once an animal offered in sacrifice, and the lord of waters was an animal too; even the radiant Sun attained exaltation upon reaching completion within sacrifice."

Verse 30 (markandeya.117.30)

तन्ममैतां कृपां कृत्वा नय मामुच्छ्रितिं नृप । आत्मनश्चेप्सितं कामं पुत्रलाभादवाप्स्यसि ॥ 117.30 ॥

tanmamaitāṁ kṛpāṁ kṛtvā naya māmucchritiṁ nṛpa ātmanaścepsitaṁ kāmaṁ putralābhādavāpsyasi

"Therefore, showing me this mercy, lead me to that exaltation, O king; and you yourself shall obtain your desired wish, the gaining of a son."

Verse 31 (markandeya.117.31)

पूर्वमृग उवाच राजेन्द्र नैष हन्तव्यो धन्योऽयं सुकृती मृगः । बहवस्तनया ह्यस्य हन्तव्योऽहमसन्ततिः ॥ 117.31 ॥

pūrvamṛga uvāca rājendra naiṣa hantavyo dhanyo ’yaṁ sukṛtī mṛgaḥ bahavastanayā hyasya hantavyo ’hamasantatiḥ

The first deer said: "O king of kings, this one should not be killed — he is fortunate, a deer of good deeds, for he has many children. I, who am without offspring, should be killed instead."

Verse 32 (markandeya.117.32)

उत्तरमृग उवाच एकदेहभयं यस्य दुःखं धन्यः स वै भवान् । बहूनि यस्य देहानि तस्य दुःखान्यनेकधा ॥ 117.32 ॥

uttaramṛga uvāca ekadehabhayaṁ yasya duḥkhaṁ dhanyaḥ sa vai bhavān bahūni yasya dehāni tasya duḥkhānyanekadhā

The second deer said: "You indeed are the fortunate one, whose sorrow is only the fear for a single body; but one who has many bodies, in his children, has sorrows multiplied many times over."

Verse 33 (markandeya.117.33)

एको यदाहमासं तु प्राक्तदा देहजं मम । दुःखमासीन्ममत्वे तु भार्यायास्तदभूद्द्विधा ॥ 117.33 ॥

eko yadāhamāsaṁ tu prāktadā dehajaṁ mama duḥkhamāsīnmamatve tu bhāryāyāstadabhūddvidhā

"When I was alone, before, my sorrow was only that born of my own body; but through attachment, once I took a wife, it became twofold."

Verse 34 (markandeya.117.34)

यदाजातान्यपत्यानि तदा यावन्ति तानि वै । तावच्छरीरभूमीनि मम दुःखान्यथाभवन् ॥ 117.34 ॥

yadājātānyapatyāni tadā yāvanti tāni vai tāvaccharīrabhūmīni mama duḥkhānyathābhavan

"When children were born, then, however many there were, that many became, as it were, so many fields of my own body — and my sorrows became just as many."

Verse 35 (markandeya.117.35)

न कृतार्थो भवाम्यस्य नातिदुःखाय सम्भवः । इह दुःखाय मत्सूतिःपरत्र च विरोधिनी ॥ 117.35 ॥

na kṛtārtho bhavāmyasya nātiduḥkhāya sambhavaḥ iha duḥkhāya matsūtiḥparatra ca virodhinī

"I am not thereby fulfilled, nor is my birth free of excessive sorrow; my begetting of offspring brings sorrow here, and stands opposed to my good in the world beyond as well."

Verse 36 (markandeya.117.36)

यतो रक्षणपोषार्थमपत्यानां करोमि तत् । चिन्तयामि च सम्भूतिस्तेन मे नरके ध्रुवम् ॥ 117.36 ॥

yato rakṣaṇapoṣārthamapatyānāṁ karomi tat cintayāmi ca sambhūtistena me narake dhruvam

"For the sake of protecting and nourishing my offspring I do such deeds, and I am ever anxious for their thriving — because of this, hell is certain for me."

Verse 37 (markandeya.117.37)

राजोवाच न वेद्मि किं सन्ततिमान्धन्योऽपुत्रोऽत्र किं मृग । पुत्रार्थश्चायमारम्भो मम दोलायते मनः ॥ 117.37 ॥

rājovāca na vedmi kiṁ santatimāndhanyo ’putro ’tra kiṁ mṛga putrārthaścāyamārambho mama dolāyate manaḥ

The king said: "I do not know, O deer, whether the one with offspring is fortunate here, or the sonless one; and this very undertaking of mine for a son now makes my mind waver."

Verse 38 (markandeya.117.38)

दुःखाय सन्ततिः सत्यमैहिकामुष्मिकाय तत् । तथाप्यतनयान्यान्ति ऋणानीति श्रुतं मया ॥ 117.38 ॥

duḥkhāya santatiḥ satyamaihikāmuṣmikāya tat tathāpyatanayānyānti ṛṇānīti śrutaṁ mayā

"Truly, offspring bring sorrow, both for this world and the next; and yet I have heard it said that the debts owed to the ancestors are not discharged by one without a son."

Verse 39 (markandeya.117.39)

सोऽहं यतिष्ये पुत्रार्थमृते प्राणिवधं मृग । तपसैव प्रचण्डेन यथापूर्वं महीपतिः ॥ 117.39 ॥

so ’haṁ yatiṣye putrārthamṛte prāṇivadhaṁ mṛga tapasaiva pracaṇḍena yathāpūrvaṁ mahīpatiḥ

"Therefore, O deer, I shall strive for a son without the killing of any living being — through fierce austerity alone, as kings of old have done."