The Boons of Dattatreya

Verse 1 (markandeya.19.1)

पुत्र उवाच इत्यृषेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा कार्तवीर्यो नरेश्वरः । दत्तात्रेयाश्रमं गत्त्वा तं भक्त्या समपूजयत्॥ 19.1 ॥

putra uvāca ityṛṣervacanaṁ śrutvā kārtavīryo nareśvaraḥ dattātreyāśramaṁ gattvā taṁ bhaktyā samapūjayat

The son said: Having heard the sage Garga's words, King Kartavirya went to Dattatreya's hermitage and worshipped him with devotion.

Verse 2 (markandeya.19.2)

पादसंवाहनाद्येन मध्वाद्याहरणेन च । स्त्रक्चन्दनादिगन्धाम्बु-फलाद्यनयनेन च॥ 19.2 ॥

pādasaṁvāhanādyena madhvādyāharaṇena ca strakcandanādigandhāmbu-phalādyanayanena ca

By massaging his feet, by bringing honey and other offerings, by bringing garlands and sandalwood and other fragrances, water, and fruits,

Verse 3 (markandeya.19.3)

तथान्नसाधनैस्तस्य उच्छिष्टापोहनेन च । परितुष्टो मुनिर्भूतं तमुवाच तथैव सः॥ 19.3 ॥

tathānnasādhanaistasya ucchiṣṭāpohanena ca parituṣṭo munirbhūtaṁ tamuvāca tathaiva saḥ

and by preparing food for him and clearing away what he left behind — thus fully satisfied, the sage then spoke to that prince —

Verse 4 (markandeya.19.4)

यथैवोक्ताः पुरा देवा मद्यभोगादिकुत्सनम् । स्त्री चेयं मम पार्श्वस्थेत्येतद्भोगाच्च कुत्सितम्॥ 19.4 ॥

yathaivoktāḥ purā devā madyabhogādikutsanam strī ceyaṁ mama pārśvasthetyetadbhogācca kutsitam

'Just as the gods once reproached my drinking and my other indulgences, saying that this woman too sits ever at my side, and censured this enjoyment of mine —'

Verse 5 (markandeya.19.5)

सदैवाहं न मामेवमुपरोद्धुं त्वमर्हसि । अशक्तमुपकाराय शक्तमाराधयस्व भोः॥ 19.5 ॥

sadaivāhaṁ na māmevamuparoddhuṁ tvamarhasi aśaktamupakārāya śaktamārādhayasva bhoḥ

'— I am ever thus. You ought not importune me in this way. Do not worship one incapable of helping you; worship instead one who is truly capable, good sir.'

Verse 6 (markandeya.19.6)

जड उवाच तेनैवमुक्तो मुनिना स्मृत्वा गर्गवचश्च तत् । प्रत्युवाच प्रणम्यैनं सार्तवीर्यार्जुनस्तदा॥ 19.6 ॥

jaḍa uvāca tenaivamukto muninā smṛtvā gargavacaśca tat pratyuvāca praṇamyainaṁ sārtavīryārjunastadā

Jada said: Thus addressed by the sage, and remembering Garga's words, Kartavirya Arjuna then bowed to him and replied —

Verse 7 (markandeya.19.7)

अर्जुन उवाच किं मां मोहयसे देव ! स्वां मायां समुपाश्रितः । अनघस्त्वं तथैवेयं देवी सर्वभवारणिः॥ 19.7 ॥

arjuna uvāca kiṁ māṁ mohayase deva ! svāṁ māyāṁ samupāśritaḥ anaghastvaṁ tathaiveyaṁ devī sarvabhavāraṇiḥ

Arjuna said: 'O lord, why do you delude me by resorting to your own maya? You are sinless, and this goddess likewise is the very source of all creation.'

Verse 8 (markandeya.19.8)

इत्युक्तः प्रीतिमान् देवस्ततस्तं प्रत्युवाच ह । कार्तवीर्यं महाभागं वशीकृतमहीतलम्॥ 19.8 ॥

ityuktaḥ prītimān devastatastaṁ pratyuvāca ha kārtavīryaṁ mahābhāgaṁ vaśīkṛtamahītalam

Hearing this, the pleased god then spoke to that illustrious Kartavirya, destined to bring the whole earth under his sway —

Verse 9 (markandeya.19.9)

वरं वृणीष्व गुह्यं मे यत् त्वया समुदीरितम् । तेन तुष्टिः परा जाता त्वय्यद्य मम पार्थिव॥ 19.9 ॥

varaṁ vṛṇīṣva guhyaṁ me yat tvayā samudīritam tena tuṣṭiḥ parā jātā tvayyadya mama pārthiva

'By what you have declared concerning my secret nature, supreme satisfaction has today arisen in me toward you; ask for a boon, O king.'

Verse 10 (markandeya.19.10)

ये च मां पूजयिष्यन्ति गन्धमाल्यादिभिर्नराः । मांसमद्योपहारैश्च मिष्टान्नैश्चाज्यसंयुतैः॥ 19.10 ॥

ye ca māṁ pūjayiṣyanti gandhamālyādibhirnarāḥ māṁsamadyopahāraiśca miṣṭānnaiścājyasaṁyutaiḥ

'Those men who shall worship me with fragrances and garlands, with offerings of meat and wine, with sweet foods mixed with ghee,'

Verse 11 (markandeya.19.11)

लक्ष्मीसमेतं गीतैश्च ब्राह्मणानां तथार्च्चनैः । वाद्यैर्मनोरमैर्वोणा-वेणु-शङ्कादिभिस्तथा॥ 19.11 ॥

lakṣmīsametaṁ gītaiśca brāhmaṇānāṁ tathārccanaiḥ vādyairmanoramairvoṇā-veṇu-śaṅkādibhistathā

'— worshipping me together with Lakshmi through songs, through the honoring of brahmins, and through pleasing instruments like the vina, flute, and conch —'

Verse 12 (markandeya.19.12)

तेषामहं परां तुष्टिं पुत्रदारधनादिकम् । प्रदास्याम्यवघातञ्च हनिष्याम्यवमन्यताम्॥ 19.12 ॥

teṣāmahaṁ parāṁ tuṣṭiṁ putradāradhanādikam pradāsyāmyavaghātañca haniṣyāmyavamanyatām

'— to them I shall grant supreme satisfaction, sons, wife, and wealth; and I shall destroy those who show contempt.'

Verse 13 (markandeya.19.13)

स त्वं वरय भद्रं ते वरं यन्मसेप्सितम् । प्रसादसुमुखस्तेऽहं गुह्यनामप्रकीर्तनात्॥ 19.13 ॥

sa tvaṁ varaya bhadraṁ te varaṁ yanmasepsitam prasādasumukhaste’haṁ guhyanāmaprakīrtanāt

'Blessings upon you — ask for whatever boon you desire; since you have proclaimed my secret name, I am well pleased and gracious toward you.'

Verse 14 (markandeya.19.14)

कार्तवीर्य उवाच यदि देव प्रसन्नस्त्वं तत् प्रयच्छर्धिमुत्तमाम् । यया प्रजाः पालयेऽहं न चाधर्ममवाप्नुयाम्॥ 19.14 ॥

kārtavīrya uvāca yadi deva prasannastvaṁ tat prayacchardhimuttamām yayā prajāḥ pālaye’haṁ na cādharmamavāpnuyām

Kartavirya said: 'O lord, if you are pleased, then grant me that highest power by which I may protect my subjects and never fall into unrighteousness.'

Verse 15 (markandeya.19.15)

परानुसरणे ज्ञानमप्रतिद्वन्द्वतां रणे । सहस्रमाप्तुमिच्छामि बाहूनां लघुतागुणम्॥ 19.15 ॥

parānusaraṇe jñānamapratidvandvatāṁ raṇe sahasramāptumicchāmi bāhūnāṁ laghutāguṇam

'I wish to obtain skill in pursuing my foes, matchless prowess in battle, a thousand arms, and swiftness in wielding them.'

Verse 16 (markandeya.19.16)

असङ्गा गतयः सन्तु शैलाकाशाम्बु-भूमिषु । पातालेषु च सर्वेषु वधश्चाप्यधिकान्नरात्॥ 19.16 ॥

asaṅgā gatayaḥ santu śailākāśāmbu-bhūmiṣu pātāleṣu ca sarveṣu vadhaścāpyadhikānnarāt

'May my movement be unobstructed among mountains, in the sky, in water, upon the earth, and in all the netherworlds; and may I be slain by none who is not greater than myself.'

Verse 17 (markandeya.19.17)

तथोन्मार्गप्रवृत्तस्य चास्तु सन्मार्गदेशकः । सन्तु मेऽतिथयः श्लाघ्या वित्तदाने तथाक्षये॥ 19.17 ॥

tathonmārgapravṛttasya cāstu sanmārgadeśakaḥ santu me’tithayaḥ ślāghyā vittadāne tathākṣaye

'Should I ever turn to a wrong path, may there be one to show me the right way; may I have praiseworthy guests, and may my wealth never diminish through giving.'

Verse 18 (markandeya.19.18)

अनष्टद्रव्यता राष्ट्रे ममानुस्मरणेन च । त्वयि भक्तिर्ममैवास्तु नित्यमव्यभिचारिणी॥ 19.18 ॥

anaṣṭadravyatā rāṣṭre mamānusmaraṇena ca tvayi bhaktirmamaivāstu nityamavyabhicāriṇī

'May there be no loss of any property in my kingdom through the mere remembrance of me, and may my devotion to you remain ever unwavering.'

Verse 19 (markandeya.19.19)

दत्तात्रेय उवाच यत्र ते कीर्तिताः सर्वे तान् वरान् समवाप्स्यसि । मत्प्रसादाच्च भविता चक्रवर्तो त्वमीश्वरः॥ 19.19 ॥

dattātreya uvāca yatra te kīrtitāḥ sarve tān varān samavāpsyasi matprasādācca bhavitā cakravarto tvamīśvaraḥ

Dattatreya said: 'All the boons that you have named you shall obtain; and by my grace you shall become a sovereign, a chakravartin, lord over all.'

Verse 20 (markandeya.19.20)

जड उवाच प्रणिपत्य ततस्तस्मै दत्तात्रेयाय सोऽर्जुनः । आनाय्य प्रकृतीः सम्यगभिषेकमगृह्णत॥ 19.20 ॥

jaḍa uvāca praṇipatya tatastasmai dattātreyāya so’rjunaḥ ānāyya prakṛtīḥ samyagabhiṣekamagṛhṇata

Jada said: Having bowed down to Dattatreya, Arjuna then summoned his ministers and duly received his coronation.

Verse 21 (markandeya.19.21)

आघोषयामास तदा स्थितो राज्ये स हैहयः । दत्तात्रेयात् परामृद्धिमवाप्यातिबलान्वितः॥ 19.21 ॥

āghoṣayāmāsa tadā sthito rājye sa haihayaḥ dattātreyāt parāmṛddhimavāpyātibalānvitaḥ

Then, established in his kingdom and having received supreme prosperity from Dattatreya, that lord of the Haihayas, now endowed with immense strength, made proclamation —

Verse 22 (markandeya.19.22)

अद्यप्रभृति यः शस्त्रं मामृतेऽन्यो ग्रहीष्यति । हन्तव्यः स मया दस्युः परिहंसारतोऽपि वा॥ 19.22 ॥

adyaprabhṛti yaḥ śastraṁ māmṛte’nyo grahīṣyati hantavyaḥ sa mayā dasyuḥ parihaṁsārato’pi vā

'From this day forth, whoever besides myself takes up arms — even one devoted to the wandering ascetic's life — shall be slain by me as a common robber.'

Verse 23 (markandeya.19.23)

इत्याज्ञप्तेन तद्राष्ट्रे कश्चिदायुधधृङ्नरः । तमृते पुरुषव्याघ्रं बभूवोरुपराक्रमः॥ 19.23 ॥

ityājñaptena tadrāṣṭre kaścidāyudhadhṛṅnaraḥ tamṛte puruṣavyāghraṁ babhūvoruparākramaḥ

By this decree, in that kingdom there remained no man bearing weapons at all, except that tiger among men of vast prowess himself.

Verse 24 (markandeya.19.24)

स एव ग्रामपालोऽभूत् पशुपालः स एव च । क्षेत्रपालः स एवासीद् द्विजातीनाञ्च रक्षिता॥ 19.24 ॥

sa eva grāmapālo’bhūt paśupālaḥ sa eva ca kṣetrapālaḥ sa evāsīd dvijātīnāñca rakṣitā

He alone became the protector of villages, he alone the protector of livestock, he alone the protector of fields, and he alone the protector of brahmins.

Verse 25 (markandeya.19.25)

तपस्विनां पालयिता सार्थपालस्तु सोऽभवत् । द्स्यु-व्यालाग्रि-शस्त्रादि-भयेष्वब्धौ निमज्जताम्॥ 19.25 ॥

tapasvināṁ pālayitā sārthapālastu so’bhavat dsyu-vyālāgri-śastrādi-bhayeṣvabdhau nimajjatām

He became the protector of ascetics and of merchant caravans; for those sinking in fear of thieves, serpents, fire, and weapons, and for those drowning at sea,

Verse 26 (markandeya.19.26)

अन्यासु चैव मग्रानामापत्सु परवीरहा । स एव संस्मृतः सद्यः समुद्धर्ताभवन्नृणाम्॥ 19.26 ॥

anyāsu caiva magrānāmāpatsu paravīrahā sa eva saṁsmṛtaḥ sadyaḥ samuddhartābhavannṛṇām

and for people fallen into every other kind of distress, he — the slayer of enemy heroes — being remembered, would at once become the rescuer of all.

Verse 27 (markandeya.19.27)

अनष्टद्रव्यता चासीत् तस्मिन् शासति पार्थिवे । तेनेष्टं बहुभिर्यज्ञैः समाप्तवरदक्षिणैः॥ 19.27 ॥

anaṣṭadravyatā cāsīt tasmin śāsati pārthive teneṣṭaṁ bahubhiryajñaiḥ samāptavaradakṣiṇaiḥ

Under his rule there was no loss of property whatever; and he performed many sacrifices, complete with abundant sacrificial gifts.

Verse 28 (markandeya.19.28)

तेनैव च तपस्तप्तं संग्रामेष्वभिचेष्टितम् । तस्यार्धिमतिमानञ्च दृष्ट्वा प्राहाङ्गिरा मुनिः॥ 19.28 ॥

tenaiva ca tapastaptaṁ saṁgrāmeṣvabhiceṣṭitam tasyārdhimatimānañca dṛṣṭvā prāhāṅgirā muniḥ

He himself achieved great prowess in battle and also practiced austerity; and, beholding his matchless prosperity and greatness, the sage Angiras declared —

Verse 29 (markandeya.19.29)

न नूनं कार्तवीर्यस्य गतिं यास्यन्ति पार्थिवाः । यज्ञैर्दानैस्तपोभिर्वा संग्रामे चातिचेष्चितैः॥ 19.29 ॥

na nūnaṁ kārtavīryasya gatiṁ yāsyanti pārthivāḥ yajñairdānaistapobhirvā saṁgrāme cāticeṣcitaiḥ

'Surely no other king shall ever attain the state of Kartavirya, whether by sacrifices, by charity, by austerities, or by the utmost exertion in battle —'

Verse 30 (markandeya.19.30)

दत्तात्रेयाद्दिन् यस्मिन् स प्रापर्धि नरेश्वरः । तस्मिंस्तस्मिन् दिने यागं दत्तात्रेयस्य सोऽकरोत्॥ 19.30 ॥

dattātreyāddin yasmin sa prāpardhi nareśvaraḥ tasmiṁstasmin dine yāgaṁ dattātreyasya so’karot

'— for on whatever day that lord of men had received this prosperity from Dattatreya, on that very day, each year, he would perform a sacrifice to Dattatreya.'

Verse 31 (markandeya.19.31)

तत्रैव च प्रजाः सर्वास्तस्मिन्नहनि भूपतेः । तस्यर्धि परमां दृष्ट्वा यागं चक्रुः समाधिना॥ 19.31 ॥

tatraiva ca prajāḥ sarvāstasminnahani bhūpateḥ tasyardhi paramāṁ dṛṣṭvā yāgaṁ cakruḥ samādhinā

On that same day, beholding the king's supreme prosperity, all his subjects too would, with one-pointed devotion, perform sacrifice.

Verse 32 (markandeya.19.32)

इत्येतत् तस्य माहात्म्यं दत्तात्रेयस्य धीमतः । विष्णोश्चराचरगुरोरनन्तस्य महात्मनः॥ 19.32 ॥

ityetat tasya māhātmyaṁ dattātreyasya dhīmataḥ viṣṇoścarācaraguroranantasya mahātmanaḥ

Such then is the greatness of the wise Dattatreya — who is none other than Vishnu, the teacher of all moving and unmoving beings, the infinite, the great soul.

Verse 33 (markandeya.19.33)

प्रादुर्भावाः पुराणेषु कथ्यन्ते शार्ड्गधन्विनः । अनन्तस्याप्रमेयस्य शङ्ख-चक्र-गदाभृतः॥ 19.33 ॥

prādurbhāvāḥ purāṇeṣu kathyante śārḍgadhanvinaḥ anantasyāprameyasya śaṅkha-cakra-gadābhṛtaḥ

The manifestations of him who bears the Sharnga bow, who is infinite and immeasurable, who bears the conch, discus, and mace, are told of in the Puranas.

Verse 34 (markandeya.19.34)

एतस्य परमं रूपं यश्चिन्तयति मानवः । स सुखी स च संसारात् समुत्तीर्णोऽचिराद्भवेत्॥ 19.34 ॥

etasya paramaṁ rūpaṁ yaścintayati mānavaḥ sa sukhī sa ca saṁsārāt samuttīrṇo’cirādbhavet

Whatever person meditates upon this supreme form becomes happy, and swiftly crosses over beyond the ocean of worldly existence.

Verse 35 (markandeya.19.35)

सदैव वैष्णवानाञ्च भक्त्याहं सुलभोऽस्मि भोः । इत्येवं यस्य वै वाचस्तं कथं नाश्रयेज्जनः॥ 19.35 ॥

sadaiva vaiṣṇavānāñca bhaktyāhaṁ sulabho’smi bhoḥ ityevaṁ yasya vai vācastaṁ kathaṁ nāśrayejjanaḥ

'I am ever easily attained by my devotees through devotion alone' — such being his own declared word, how should any person fail to take refuge in him?

Verse 36 (markandeya.19.36)

अधर्मस्य विनाशाय धर्माचारार्थमेव च । अनादिनिधनो देवः करोति स्थिति-पालनम्॥ 19.36 ॥

adharmasya vināśāya dharmācārārthameva ca anādinidhano devaḥ karoti sthiti-pālanam

For the destruction of unrighteousness and for the establishment of righteous conduct alone, that beginningless and endless Lord brings about the preservation and maintenance of the world.

Verse 37 (markandeya.19.37)

तथैव जन्म चाख्यातमलर्कं कथयामि ते । तथा च योगः कथितो दत्तात्रेयेण तस्य वै । पितृभक्तस्य राजर्षेरलर्कस्य महात्मनः॥ 19.37 ॥

tathaiva janma cākhyātamalarkaṁ kathayāmi te tathā ca yogaḥ kathito dattātreyeṇa tasya vai pitṛbhaktasya rājarṣeralarkasya mahātmanaḥ

In this same way I shall now relate to you the birth of Alarka, and shall tell how Dattatreya taught yoga to that great-souled royal sage Alarka, devoted to his father.