The Fruit of Hearing and Reciting the Purana

Verse 1 (markandeya.134.1)

पक्षिण ऊचुः एवमुक्त्वा जैमिनेयं मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः । विसृज्य क्रौष्टुकिमुनिं चक्रे माध्याह्निकीं क्रियाम् ॥ 134.1 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ evamuktvā jaimineyaṁ mārkaṇḍeyo mahāmuniḥ visṛjya krauṣṭukimuniṁ cakre mādhyāhnikīṁ kriyām

The birds said: "Having thus spoken all this to Jaimini, the great sage Markandeya took leave of the sage Kraushtuki and performed his midday rites."

Verse 2 (markandeya.134.2)

अस्माभिश्च श्रुतं तस्माद्यत्ते प्रोक्तं महामुने । अनादिसिद्धमेतद्धि पुरा प्रोक्तं स्वयंभुवा ॥ 134.2 ॥

asmābhiśca śrutaṁ tasmādyatte proktaṁ mahāmune anādisiddhametaddhi purā proktaṁ svayaṁbhuvā

"'O great sage, we too have heard from that same source exactly what you have told — for this is a teaching without beginning, first spoken long ago by the Self-Existent Brahma himself.'"

Verse 3 (markandeya.134.3)

मार्कण्डेयाय मुनये यत्तेऽस्माभिरुदाहृतम् । पुण्यं पवित्रमायुष्यं धर्मकामार्थसिद्धिदम् ॥ 134.3 ॥

mārkaṇḍeyāya munaye yatte’smābhirudāhṛtam puṇyaṁ pavitramāyuṣyaṁ dharmakāmārthasiddhidam

"'All that we ourselves once related to the sage Markandeya is meritorious, purifying, life-giving, and grants the fulfillment of dharma, artha and kama.'"

Verse 4 (markandeya.134.4)

पठतां शृण्वतां सद्यः सर्वपापप्रमोचनम् । आदावेव कृता ये च प्रश्नाश्चत्वार एव हि ॥ 134.4 ॥

paṭhatāṁ śṛṇvatāṁ sadyaḥ sarvapāpapramocanam ādāveva kṛtā ye ca praśnāścatvāra eva hi

"'For those who read or hear it, it grants instant release from every sin. Now, as for the four questions that were asked at the very outset —'"

Verse 5 (markandeya.134.5)

पितुः पुत्रस्य संवादस्तथा सृष्टिः स्वयंभुवः । तथा मनूनां स्थितयो राज्ञां च चरितं मुने ॥ 134.5 ॥

pituḥ putrasya saṁvādastathā sṛṣṭiḥ svayaṁbhuvaḥ tathā manūnāṁ sthitayo rājñāṁ ca caritaṁ mune

"'The dialogue between father and son, the creation by the Self-Existent one, the successive ages of the Manus, and the deeds of kings, O sage —'"

Verse 6 (markandeya.134.6)

अस्माभिरेतत्ते प्रोक्तं किमद्य श्रोतुमिच्छसि । एतान्सर्वान्नरः श्रुत्वा पठते वा सभासु च ॥ 134.6 ॥

asmābhiretatte proktaṁ kimadya śrotumicchasi etānsarvānnaraḥ śrutvā paṭhate vā sabhāsu ca

"'all this we have now related to you in full. What more, then, do you wish to hear today? Whoever hears all this, or recites it in public assemblies —'"

Verse 7 (markandeya.134.7)

विधूय सर्वपापानि ब्रह्मणोऽन्ते लयं व्रजेत् । अष्टादशपुराणानि यानि प्राह पितामहः ॥ 134.7 ॥

vidhūya sarvapāpāni brahmaṇo’nte layaṁ vrajet aṣṭādaśapurāṇāni yāni prāha pitāmahaḥ

"'shakes off every sin and in the end attains dissolution into Brahman itself. Of the eighteen Puranas that the Grandsire Brahma himself proclaimed —'"

Verse 8 (markandeya.134.8)

तेषां तु सप्तमं ज्ञेयं मार्कर्ण्डेयं सुविश्रुतम् । ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवं च शैवं भागवतं तथा ॥ 134.8 ॥

teṣāṁ tu saptamaṁ jñeyaṁ mārkarṇḍeyaṁ suviśrutam brāhmaṁ pādmaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ ca śaivaṁ bhāgavataṁ tathā

"'know that the seventh among them is this widely renowned Markandeya Purana. [The eighteen are:] the Brahma, the Padma, the Vaishnava, the Shaiva, and the Bhagavata —'"

Verse 9 (markandeya.134.9)

तथान्यन्नारदीयं च मार्कण्डेयं च सप्तमम् । आग्नेयमष्टमं प्रोक्तं भविष्यं नवमं तथा ॥ 134.9 ॥

tathānyannāradīyaṁ ca mārkaṇḍeyaṁ ca saptamam āgneyamaṣṭamaṁ proktaṁ bhaviṣyaṁ navamaṁ tathā

"'and another still, the Naradiya, and seventh the Markandeya; the eighth is called the Agneya, and the ninth the Bhavishya.'"

Verse 10 (markandeya.134.10)

दशमं ब्रह्मवैवर्त्तं लैङ्गमेकादशं स्मृतम् । वाराहं द्वादशं प्रोक्तं स्कन्दमत्र त्रयोदशम् ॥ 134.10 ॥

daśamaṁ brahmavaivarttaṁ laiṅgamekādaśaṁ smṛtam vārāhaṁ dvādaśaṁ proktaṁ skandamatra trayodaśam

"'The tenth is the Brahmavaivarta, the eleventh remembered as the Linga; the twelfth is called the Varaha, and here the thirteenth is the Skanda.'"

Verse 11 (markandeya.134.11)

चतुर्दशं वामनं च कौर्मं पञ्चदशं तथा । मात्स्यं च गारुडं चैव ब्रह्माण्डं च ततः परम् ॥ 134.11 ॥

caturdaśaṁ vāmanaṁ ca kaurmaṁ pañcadaśaṁ tathā mātsyaṁ ca gāruḍaṁ caiva brahmāṇḍaṁ ca tataḥ param

"'The fourteenth is the Vamana, and the fifteenth the Kurma; then the Matsya and the Garuda, and after that the Brahmanda — the eighteenth.'"

Verse 12 (markandeya.134.12)

अष्टादशपुराणानां नामधेयानि यः पठेत् । त्रिसन्ध्यं जपते नित्यं सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ॥ 134.12 ॥

aṣṭādaśapurāṇānāṁ nāmadheyāni yaḥ paṭhet trisandhyaṁ japate nityaṁ so’śvamedhaphalaṁ labhet

"'Whoever recites the names of these eighteen Puranas at each of the three daily junctures gains the very fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.'"

Verse 13 (markandeya.134.13)

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंशानुचरितं चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम् ॥ 134.13 ॥

sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca vaṁśānucaritaṁ caiva purāṇaṁ pañcalakṣaṇam

"'Creation, dissolution and re-creation, the dynasties, the ages of the Manus, and the histories of those dynasties — a Purana, by its very definition, bears these five distinguishing marks.'"

Verse 14 (markandeya.134.14)

चतुःप्रश्नसमोपेतं पुराणं ह्येतदुत्तमम् । श्रुत्वा पुनश्च ते पापं कल्पकोटिशतैः कृतम् ॥ 134.14 ॥

catuḥpraśnasamopetaṁ purāṇaṁ hyetaduttamam śrutvā punaśca te pāpaṁ kalpakoṭiśataiḥ kṛtam

"'This Purana, framed around those four questions, is supreme indeed. Hearing it, even sins committed across hundreds of millions of world-ages —'"

Verse 15 (markandeya.134.15)

ब्रह्महत्यादिपापानि यान्यन्यान्यशुभानि च । तानि सर्वाणि नश्यन्ति तृणं वातहतं यथा ॥ 134.15 ॥

brahmahatyādipāpāni yānyanyānyaśubhāni ca tāni sarvāṇi naśyanti tṛṇaṁ vātahataṁ yathā

"'the sin of killing a brahmin and all other inauspicious deeds besides — all of them are destroyed, just as a blade of straw is swept away by the wind.'"

Verse 16 (markandeya.134.16)

पुष्करे दानजं पुण्यं श्रवणादस्य जायते । सर्ववेदाधिकफलं समाप्त्या चाधिगच्छति ॥ 134.16 ॥

puṣkare dānajaṁ puṇyaṁ śravaṇādasya jāyate sarvavedādhikaphalaṁ samāptyā cādhigacchati

"'From simply hearing it one gains the very merit born of giving gifts at the sacred Pushkara tirtha, and on its completion one attains a fruit greater even than that of all the Vedas together.'"

Verse 17 (markandeya.134.17)

यः श्रावयेत्पूजयेत्तं यथा देवं पितामहम् । गन्धपुष्पैस्तथा वस्त्रैर्ब्राह्मणानां च तर्पणैः ॥ 134.17 ॥

yaḥ śrāvayetpūjayettaṁ yathā devaṁ pitāmaham gandhapuṣpaistathā vastrairbrāhmaṇānāṁ ca tarpaṇaiḥ

"'Whoever recites it to others should be honored as one honors the god Brahma himself — with fragrant scents, flowers, garments, and offerings to brahmins.'"

Verse 18 (markandeya.134.18)

यथाशक्त्या च दातव्यं नृपैर्ग्रामादिवाहनम् । एतत्पुराणमखिलं वेदार्थैरुपबृंहितम् । धर्मशास्त्रैकनिलयं श्रुत्वा सर्वार्थमाप्नुयात् ॥ 134.18 ॥

yathāśaktyā ca dātavyaṁ nṛpairgrāmādivāhanam etatpurāṇamakhilaṁ vedārthairupabṛṁhitam dharmaśāstraikanilayaṁ śrutvā sarvārthamāpnuyāt

"'Kings should give according to their means — even villages, or means of conveyance. This entire Purana is filled with the meaning of the Vedas and is the single repository of all the dharma-shastras — whoever hears it attains every desired end.'"

Verse 19 (markandeya.134.19)

श्रुत्वा पुराणमखिलं व्यासं सम्पूजयेद्बुधः । धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां यथोक्तफलहेतवे ॥ 134.19 ॥

śrutvā purāṇamakhilaṁ vyāsaṁ sampūjayedbudhaḥ dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṁ yathoktaphalahetave

"'Having heard the whole Purana, the wise should worship Vyasa himself, for he alone is the appointed cause of the fruits of dharma, artha, kama and moksha as here declared.'"

Verse 20 (markandeya.134.20)

दद्याद्गां गुरवे स्वर्णवस्त्रालङ्कारसंयुताम् । श्रवणस्य फलावाप्त्यै दानैः संतोषयेद्गुरुम् ॥ 134.20 ॥

dadyādgāṁ gurave svarṇavastrālaṅkārasaṁyutām śravaṇasya phalāvāptyai dānaiḥ saṁtoṣayedgurum

"'One should give one's teacher a cow adorned with gold, garments and ornaments. To secure the full fruit of this hearing, the teacher must be satisfied with such gifts.'"

Verse 21 (markandeya.134.21)

अपूज्य पाठकर्तारं श्लोकमेकं शृणोति यः । नासौ पुण्यमवाप्नोति शास्त्रचोरः स्मृतो हि सः ॥ 134.21 ॥

apūjya pāṭhakartāraṁ ślokamekaṁ śṛṇoti yaḥ nāsau puṇyamavāpnoti śāstracoraḥ smṛto hi saḥ

"'Whoever hears even a single verse of it without first honoring the reciter gains no merit at all — he is remembered as nothing but a thief of scripture.'"

Verse 22 (markandeya.134.22)

न तस्य देवाः प्रीणन्ति पितरो नैव पुत्रकान् । दत्तं श्राद्धं तथेच्छन्ति तीर्थस्नानफलं न च ॥ 134.22 ॥

na tasya devāḥ prīṇanti pitaro naiva putrakān dattaṁ śrāddhaṁ tathecchanti tīrthasnānaphalaṁ na ca

"'Neither the gods are pleased with him, nor the ancestors, nor even his own sons find contentment. Neither do they accept the offerings of his ancestral rites, nor does he obtain the fruit of bathing at sacred fords.'"

Verse 23 (markandeya.134.23)

लभेत शास्त्रचोरश्च निन्दां सज्जनसंसदि । अवज्ञया न श्रोतव्यं शास्त्रमेतद्विचक्षणैः ॥ 134.23 ॥

labheta śāstracoraśca nindāṁ sajjanasaṁsadi avajñayā na śrotavyaṁ śāstrametadvicakṣaṇaiḥ

"'That thief of scripture earns nothing but reproach in the assembly of the virtuous. The discerning must never listen to this scripture with disrespect.'"

Verse 24 (markandeya.134.24)

पठ्यमाने त्ववज्ञाते साधुभिः शास्त्र उत्तमे । मूको भवति जन्मानि सप्त मूर्खः प्रजायते ॥ 134.24 ॥

paṭhyamāne tvavajñāte sādhubhiḥ śāstra uttame mūko bhavati janmāni sapta mūrkhaḥ prajāyate

"'If this supreme scripture is being recited by the virtuous and someone treats it with contempt, he is born mute for seven lifetimes, and a fool besides.'"

Verse 25 (markandeya.134.25)

श्रुत्वा तत्पूजयेद्यस्तु पुराणं सप्तमं पुनः । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः पुनात्येव निजं कुलम् ॥ 134.25 ॥

śrutvā tatpūjayedyastu purāṇaṁ saptamaṁ punaḥ sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ punātyeva nijaṁ kulam

"'Whoever, having heard this seventh Purana, then also honors it, is freed from every sin and purifies his entire lineage besides.'"

Verse 26 (markandeya.134.26)

पूतो याति न सन्देहो विष्णुलोकं सनातनम् । च्युतस्ततः पुनर्नैव स भविष्यति मानवः ॥ 134.26 ॥

pūto yāti na sandeho viṣṇulokaṁ sanātanam cyutastataḥ punarnaiva sa bhaviṣyati mānavaḥ

"'Purified, he attains without doubt the eternal world of Vishnu, and having fallen from there, he never again becomes an ordinary mortal.'"

Verse 27 (markandeya.134.27)

पुराणश्रवणादेव परमयोगमवाप्नुयात् । नास्तिकाय न दातव्यं वृषले वेदनिन्दके ॥ 134.27 ॥

purāṇaśravaṇādeva paramayogamavāpnuyāt nāstikāya na dātavyaṁ vṛṣale vedanindake

"'From the mere hearing of this Purana, the highest state of yoga is attained. It must never be given to an unbeliever, to a debased outcast, or to one who reviles the Vedas.'"

Verse 28 (markandeya.134.28)

गुरुद्विजातिनिन्दाय तथा भग्नव्रताय च । मातापित्रोर्निन्दकाय वेदशास्त्रादिनिन्दिने ॥ 134.28 ॥

gurudvijātinindāya tathā bhagnavratāya ca mātāpitrornindakāya vedaśāstrādinindine

"'nor to one who reviles his teacher or brahmins, nor to one who has broken his vows, nor to one who reviles his own parents, nor to one who reviles the Vedas and the scriptures —'"

Verse 29 (markandeya.134.29)

भिन्नमर्यादिने चैव तथा वै ज्ञातिकोपिने । एतेषां नैव दातव्यं प्राणैः कण्ठगतैरपि ॥ 134.29 ॥

bhinnamaryādine caiva tathā vai jñātikopine eteṣāṁ naiva dātavyaṁ prāṇaiḥ kaṇṭhagatairapi

"'nor to one who transgresses the bounds of propriety, nor to one who harbors anger against his own kinsmen — this Purana must never be given to any of these, even at the cost of one's own life.'"

Verse 30 (markandeya.134.30)

लोभाद्वा यदि वा मोहाद्भयाद्वापि विशेषतः । पठेद्वा पाठयेद्वापि स गच्छेन्नरकं ध्रुवम् ॥ 134.30 ॥

lobhādvā yadi vā mohādbhayādvāpi viśeṣataḥ paṭhedvā pāṭhayedvāpi sa gacchennarakaṁ dhruvam

"'Whoever, out of greed, delusion, or especially out of fear, recites or teaches it to such people, is certainly bound for hell.'"

Verse 31 (markandeya.134.31)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच एतत्सर्वमुपाख्यानं धर्म्यं स्वर्गापवर्गदम् । यः शृणोति पठेद्वापि सिद्धं तस्य समीहितम् ॥ 134.31 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca etatsarvamupākhyānaṁ dharmyaṁ svargāpavargadam yaḥ śṛṇoti paṭhedvāpi siddhaṁ tasya samīhitam

Markandeya said: "This entire narrative is founded on dharma and bestows both heaven and final liberation. Whoever hears it, or recites it, finds his heart's desire fulfilled."

Verse 32 (markandeya.134.32)

आधिव्याधिजदुःखेन कदाचिन्नाभियुज्यते । ब्रह्महत्यादिपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ 134.32 ॥

ādhivyādhijaduḥkhena kadācinnābhiyujyate brahmahatyādipāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

"He is never afflicted by the suffering of mental or bodily disease. He is freed even from sins such as the killing of a brahmin — of this there is no doubt."

Verse 33 (markandeya.134.33)

सन्तः स्वजनमित्राणि भवन्ति हितबुद्धयः । नारयः सम्भविष्यन्ति दस्यवो वा कदाचन ॥ 134.33 ॥

santaḥ svajanamitrāṇi bhavanti hitabuddhayaḥ nārayaḥ sambhaviṣyanti dasyavo vā kadācana

"His own kinsmen and friends remain always well-disposed toward him. Neither enemies nor robbers ever arise against him."

Verse 34 (markandeya.134.34)

सदर्थो मिष्टभोगी च दुर्भिक्षैर्नावसीदति । परदारपरद्रव्यपरहिंसादिकिल्बिषैः ॥ 134.34 ॥

sadartho miṣṭabhogī ca durbhikṣairnāvasīdati paradāraparadravyaparahiṁsādikilbiṣaiḥ

"He remains prosperous and enjoys life's sweetest comforts, is never distressed by famine, and from sins such as coveting another's wife, another's wealth, or doing violence to another —"

Verse 35 (markandeya.134.35)

मुच्यतेऽनेकदुःखेभ्यो नित्यं चैव द्विजोत्तम । ऋद्धिर्वृद्धिः स्मृतिः शान्तिः श्रीः पुष्टिस्तुष्टिरेव च । नित्यं तस्य भवेद्विप्र यः शृणोति कथामिमाम् ॥ 134.35 ॥

mucyate’nekaduḥkhebhyo nityaṁ caiva dvijottama ṛddhirvṛddhiḥ smṛtiḥ śāntiḥ śrīḥ puṣṭistuṣṭireva ca nityaṁ tasya bhavedvipra yaḥ śṛṇoti kathāmimām

"he remains ever free, O best of the twice-born. Prosperity, growth, memory, peace, fortune, well-being and contentment — all these, O brahmin, remain always with whoever hears this tale."

Verse 36 (markandeya.134.36)

मार्कण्डेयपुराणमेतदखिलं शृण्वन्नशोच्यः पुमान्यो वा सम्यगुदीयरयेद्रसमयं शोच्यो न सोऽपि द्विज । योगज्ञानविशुद्धसिद्धिसहितः स्वर्गादिलोकेऽप्यसौ शक्राद्यैश्च सुरादिभिः परिवृतः स्वर्गे सदा पूज्यते ॥ 134.36 ॥

mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇametadakhilaṁ śṛṇvannaśocyaḥ pumānyo vā samyagudīyarayedrasamayaṁ śocyo na so’pi dvija yogajñānaviśuddhasiddhisahitaḥ svargādiloke’pyasau śakrādyaiśca surādibhiḥ parivṛtaḥ svarge sadā pūjyate

"A man who hears this entire Markandeya Purana never has cause for grief, and O brahmin, neither does he who recites its very essence well. Endowed with the pure attainment of yoga and knowledge, he dwells in the heavenly worlds honored always, surrounded even there by Indra and the other gods."

Verse 37 (markandeya.134.37)

पुराणमेतच्छ्रुत्वा च ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुतम् । विमानवरमारुह्य स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥ 134.37 ॥

purāṇametacchrutvā ca jñānavijñānasaṁyutam vimānavaramāruhya svargaloke mahīyate

"Having heard this Purana, endowed with knowledge and true understanding, a man mounts a splendid celestial chariot and is glorified in the world of heaven."

Verse 38 (markandeya.134.38)

पुराणाक्षरसंख्या च प्रख्याता तत्त्वबुद्धिना । श्लोकानां षट्सहस्राणि तथा चाष्टशतानि च ॥ 134.38 ॥

purāṇākṣarasaṁkhyā ca prakhyātā tattvabuddhinā ślokānāṁ ṣaṭsahasrāṇi tathā cāṣṭaśatāni ca

"The number of verses in this Purana, as reckoned and made known by those who know its true measure, is six thousand eight hundred,"

Verse 39 (markandeya.134.39)

श्लोकास्तत्र नवाशीतिरेकादशसमाहिताः । कथिता मुनिना पूर्वं मार्कण्डेयेन धीमता ॥ 134.39 ॥

ślokāstatra navāśītirekādaśasamāhitāḥ kathitā muninā pūrvaṁ mārkaṇḍeyena dhīmatā

"together with eighty-nine more and eleven besides — all of it related in ancient times by the wise sage Markandeya himself."

Verse 40 (markandeya.134.40)

जैमिनिरुवाच भारतेनाभवद्यन्मे संशयस्फोटनं द्विजाः । तद्भवद्भिः कृतं यन्न कश्चिदद्य करिष्यति ॥ 134.40 ॥

jaiminiruvāca bhāratenābhavadyanme saṁśayasphoṭanaṁ dvijāḥ tadbhavadbhiḥ kṛtaṁ yanna kaścidadya kariṣyati

Jaimini said: "'O brahmins, the doubt that had arisen in me from the Mahabharata — the resolving of it that you have accomplished, no one else today could have done.'"

Verse 41 (markandeya.134.41)

यूयं दीर्घायुषः स्यात प्रज्ञाबुद्धिविशारदाः । सांख्ययोगे तथा चास्तु बुद्धिरव्यभिचारिणी ॥ 134.41 ॥

yūyaṁ dīrghāyuṣaḥ syāta prajñābuddhiviśāradāḥ sāṁkhyayoge tathā cāstu buddhiravyabhicāriṇī

"'May you all be long-lived, skilled in wisdom and understanding; and may your minds remain ever unwavering in Sankhya and Yoga alike.'"

Verse 42 (markandeya.134.42)

पितृशापकृताद्दुःखाद्दौर्मनस्यं व्यपेतु वः । एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं जगाम स्वाश्रमं मुनिः । चितयन्परमोदारं पक्षिणां वाक्यमीरितम् ॥ 134.42 ॥

pitṛśāpakṛtādduḥkhāddaurmanasyaṁ vyapetu vaḥ etāvaduktvā vacanaṁ jagāma svāśramaṁ muniḥ citayanparamodāraṁ pakṣiṇāṁ vākyamīritam

"'May the despondency that has come upon you from the grief caused by your father's curse now depart' — having said just this much, the sage set out for his own hermitage, pondering the most generous words the birds had spoken."