The Regaining of Madalasa

Verse 1 (markandeya.24.1)

जड उवाच कृताहारं महात्मनामधिपं पवनाशिनाम् । उपासाञ्चक्रिरे पुत्रौ भूपालतनयस्तथा॥ 24.1 ॥

jaḍa uvāca kṛtāhāraṁ mahātmanāmadhipaṁ pavanāśinām upāsāñcakrire putrau bhūpālatanayastathā

Once that great-souled lord of the air-eating serpents had finished his meal, his two sons and the prince attended upon him.

Verse 2 (markandeya.24.2)

कथाभिरनुरूपाभिः स महात्मा भुजङ्गमः । प्रीतिं सञ्जनयामास पुत्रसख्युरुवाच च॥ 24.2 ॥

kathābhiranurūpābhiḥ sa mahātmā bhujaṅgamaḥ prītiṁ sañjanayāmāsa putrasakhyuruvāca ca

That great-souled serpent, with fitting words, kindled affection in his sons' friend, and then said to him —

Verse 3 (markandeya.24.3)

तव भद्र ! सुखं ब्रूहि गेहमभ्यागतस्य यत् । कर्तव्यमुत्सृजाशङ्कां पितरीव सुतो मयि॥ 24.3 ॥

tava bhadra ! sukhaṁ brūhi gehamabhyāgatasya yat kartavyamutsṛjāśaṅkāṁ pitarīva suto mayi

'Tell me, good friend, whatever might bring comfort to you as a guest in this house — you should tell me freely. Set aside your hesitation, and trust in me as a son trusts in his father.'

Verse 4 (markandeya.24.4)

रजतं वा सुवर्णं वा वस्त्रं वाहनमासनम् । यद्वाभिमतमत्यर्थं दुर्लभं तद्वृणुष्व माम्॥ 24.4 ॥

rajataṁ vā suvarṇaṁ vā vastraṁ vāhanamāsanam yadvābhimatamatyarthaṁ durlabhaṁ tadvṛṇuṣva mām

'Whether it be silver or gold, garments, a conveyance or a seat, or whatever else you most desire, however hard to obtain — ask it of me.'

Verse 5 (markandeya.24.5)

कुवलयाश्व उवाच तव प्रसादाद्भगवन् ! सुवर्णादि गृहे मम । पितुरस्ति ममाद्यापिन किञ्चित् कार्यमीदृशम्॥ 24.5 ॥

kuvalayāśva uvāca tava prasādādbhagavan ! suvarṇādi gṛhe mama piturasti mamādyāpina kiñcit kāryamīdṛśam

'My lord, by your grace, my father's house already has gold and all such things in plenty; so I have no need at all today for anything of the kind.'

Verse 6 (markandeya.24.6)

ताते वर्षसहस्राणि शासतीमां वसुन्धराम् । तथैव त्वयि पातालं न मे याञ्चोन्मुकं मनः॥ 24.6 ॥

tāte varṣasahasrāṇi śāsatīmāṁ vasundharām tathaiva tvayi pātālaṁ na me yāñconmukaṁ manaḥ

'As long as my father governs this earth for a thousand years, and you rule Patala, my mind has no inclination to ask for anything at all.'

Verse 7 (markandeya.24.7)

ते स्वर्ग्याश्च सुपुण्याश्च येषां पितरि जीवति । तृणकोटिसमं वित्तं तारुण्याद्वित्तकोटिषु॥ 24.7 ॥

te svargyāśca supuṇyāśca yeṣāṁ pitari jīvati tṛṇakoṭisamaṁ vittaṁ tāruṇyādvittakoṭiṣu

'Truly deserving of heaven, truly blessed with merit, are those for whom, while their father still lives, even millions in wealth seem as light as a blade of grass, thanks to the very vigor of their youth.'

Verse 8 (markandeya.24.8)

मित्राणि तुल्यशिष्टानि तद्वद्देहमनामयम् । जनिता ध्रियते वित्तं यौवनं किन्नु नास्ति मे॥ 24.8 ॥

mitrāṇi tulyaśiṣṭāni tadvaddehamanāmayam janitā dhriyate vittaṁ yauvanaṁ kinnu nāsti me

'Friends of like refinement, a healthy body, a living father, wealth that endures, youth itself — which of these do I lack?'

Verse 9 (markandeya.24.9)

असत्यर्थे नृणां याञ्चाप्रवणं जायते मनः । सत्यशेषे कथं याञ्चां मम जिह्वा करिष्यति॥ 24.9 ॥

asatyarthe nṛṇāṁ yāñcāpravaṇaṁ jāyate manaḥ satyaśeṣe kathaṁ yāñcāṁ mama jihvā kariṣyati

'It is only when something is truly lacking that men's minds turn toward asking; when everything I need still remains to me, how could my tongue possibly form a request?'

Verse 10 (markandeya.24.10)

यैर्न चिन्त्यं धनं किञ्चिन्मम गेहेऽस्ति नास्ति वा । पितृबाहुतरुच्छायां संश्रिताः सुखिनो हि ते॥ 24.10 ॥

yairna cintyaṁ dhanaṁ kiñcinmama gehe ’sti nāsti vā pitṛbāhutarucchāyāṁ saṁśritāḥ sukhino hi te

'Truly happy are they who need never worry whether there is wealth in their house or not, for they rest sheltered beneath the shade of their father's arm, as beneath a tree.'

Verse 11 (markandeya.24.11)

ये तु बाल्यात् प्रभृत्येव विना पित्रा कुटुम्बिनः । ते सुखास्वादविभ्रंशान्मन्ये धात्रैव वञ्चिताः॥ 24.11 ॥

ye tu bālyāt prabhṛtyeva vinā pitrā kuṭumbinaḥ te sukhāsvādavibhraṁśānmanye dhātraiva vañcitāḥ

'But those who, from childhood, must bear the burdens of a household without a father — deprived of the very taste of such happiness — I consider them cheated by fate itself.'

Verse 12 (markandeya.24.12)

तद्वयं त्वत्प्रसादेन धनरत्नादिसञ्चयान् । पितृमुक्तान् प्रयच्छामः कामतो नित्यमर्थिनाम्॥ 24.12 ॥

tadvayaṁ tvatprasādena dhanaratnādisañcayān pitṛmuktān prayacchāmaḥ kāmato nityamarthinām

'So, by your very grace, we go on freely giving away, to petitioners day after day, the store of wealth and jewels that our father has provided.'

Verse 13 (markandeya.24.13)

तत् सर्वमिह संप्राप्तं यदङ्घ्रियुगलं तव । मच्चूडामणिना स्पृष्टं यच्चाङ्गस्पर्शमाप्तवान्॥ 24.13 ॥

tat sarvamiha saṁprāptaṁ yadaṅghriyugalaṁ tava maccūḍāmaṇinā spṛṣṭaṁ yaccāṅgasparśamāptavān

'All that I could want I have already gained here, in that your two feet have touched my very crown-jewel, and I have had the good fortune to embrace you.'

Verse 14 (markandeya.24.14)

जड उवाच इत्येवं प्रसृतं वाक्यमुक्तः पन्नगसत्तमः । प्राह राजसुतं प्रीत्या पुत्रयोरुपकारिणम्॥ 24.14 ॥

jaḍa uvāca ityevaṁ prasṛtaṁ vākyamuktaḥ pannagasattamaḥ prāha rājasutaṁ prītyā putrayorupakāriṇam

Hearing these words spoken at such length, that foremost of serpents affectionately addressed the prince, benefactor of his two sons —

Verse 15 (markandeya.24.15)

नाग उवाच यदि रत्नसुवर्णादि मत्तोऽवाप्तुं न ते मनः । यदन्यन्मनसः प्रीत्यै तद्ब्रूहि त्वं ददाम्यहम्॥ 24.15 ॥

nāga uvāca yadi ratnasuvarṇādi matto ’vāptuṁ na te manaḥ yadanyanmanasaḥ prītyai tadbrūhi tvaṁ dadāmyaham

'If your heart is not set on gaining jewels, gold, and such things from me, then tell me whatever else would please your mind, and I shall grant it to you.'

Verse 16 (markandeya.24.16)

कुवलयाश्व उवाच भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन प्रार्थितस्य गृहे मम । सर्वमस्ति विशेषेण सम्प्राप्तं तव दर्शनात्॥ 24.16 ॥

kuvalayāśva uvāca bhagavaṁstvatprasādena prārthitasya gṛhe mama sarvamasti viśeṣeṇa samprāptaṁ tava darśanāt

'My lord, by your grace, everything I could wish for already exists in my own home; and above all, through the very sight of you, I have gained everything I could ask.'

Verse 17 (markandeya.24.17)

कृतकृत्योऽस्मि चैतेन सफलं जीवितञ्च मे । यदङ्गसंश्लेषमितस्तव देवस्य मानुषः॥ 24.17 ॥

kṛtakṛtyo ’smi caitena saphalaṁ jīvitañca me yadaṅgasaṁśleṣamitastava devasya mānuṣaḥ

'By this alone I am fulfilled, and my life has borne fruit — that I, a mere mortal, should receive the embrace of one as divine as you.'

Verse 18 (markandeya.24.18)

ममोत्तमाङ्गे त्वत्पादरजसा यदिहास्पदम् । कृतं तेनैव न प्राप्तं किं मया पन्नगेश्वर॥ 24.18 ॥

mamottamāṅge tvatpādarajasā yadihāspadam kṛtaṁ tenaiva na prāptaṁ kiṁ mayā pannageśvara

'O lord of serpents, since the very dust of your feet has already found a place upon my head, what more is there left for me to gain?'

Verse 19 (markandeya.24.19)

यदि त्ववश्यं दातव्यो वरो मम यथेप्सितः । तत्पुण्यकर्मसंस्कारो हृदयान्मा व्यपैतु मे॥ 24.19 ॥

yadi tvavaśyaṁ dātavyo varo mama yathepsitaḥ tatpuṇyakarmasaṁskāro hṛdayānmā vyapaitu me

'And yet if I must indeed accept whatever boon I desire, then let this be it: may the disposition toward righteous action never depart from my heart.'

Verse 20 (markandeya.24.20)

सुवर्णमणिरत्नादि वाहनं गृहमासनम् । स्त्रियोऽन्नपानं पुत्राश्च चारुमाल्यानुलेपन्॥ 24.20 ॥

suvarṇamaṇiratnādi vāhanaṁ gṛhamāsanam striyo ’nnapānaṁ putrāśca cārumālyānulepan

'Gold, gems and jewels, conveyances, house and seat, women, food and drink, sons, fine garlands and sandal-paste —'

Verse 21 (markandeya.24.21)

एते च विविधाः कामा गीतवाद्यादिकञ्च यत् । सर्वमेतन्मम मतं फलं पुण्यवनस्पतेः॥ 24.21 ॥

ete ca vividhāḥ kāmā gītavādyādikañca yat sarvametanmama mataṁ phalaṁ puṇyavanaspateḥ

'—and these various pleasures, song and music and all the rest — all of this, in my view, is nothing but the fruit of the tree of merit.'

Verse 22 (markandeya.24.22)

तस्मान्नरेण तन्मुलः कार्यो यत्नः कृतात्मना । कर्तव्यः पुण्यसक्तानां न किञ्चिद्भुवि दुर्लभम्॥ 24.22 ॥

tasmānnareṇa tanmulaḥ kāryo yatnaḥ kṛtātmanā kartavyaḥ puṇyasaktānāṁ na kiñcidbhuvi durlabham

'Therefore a man, with disciplined mind, should strive only for its very root, which is merit; for nothing in this world is out of reach for those devoted to merit.'

Verse 23 (markandeya.24.23)

अश्वतर उवाच एवं भविष्यति प्राज्ञ ! तव धर्माश्रिता मतिः । सत्यञ्चैतत् फलं सर्वं धर्मस्योक्तं यथा त्वया॥ 24.23 ॥

aśvatara uvāca evaṁ bhaviṣyati prājña ! tava dharmāśritā matiḥ satyañcaitat phalaṁ sarvaṁ dharmasyoktaṁ yathā tvayā

'So it shall be, O wise one; your mind is truly grounded in dharma. All that you have said — that all these are but the fruit of dharma — is true.'

Verse 24 (markandeya.24.24)

तथाप्यवश्यं मद्गेहमागतेन त्वयाधुना । ग्राह्यं यन्मानुषे लोके दुष्प्राप्तं भवतो मतम्॥ 24.24 ॥

tathāpyavaśyaṁ madgehamāgatena tvayādhunā grāhyaṁ yanmānuṣe loke duṣprāptaṁ bhavato matam

'Even so, now that you have come to my house, you must certainly accept something that, in your own reckoning, is hard to obtain in the world of men.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.24.25)

जड उवाच तस्यैतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स तदा नृपनन्दनः । मुकावलोकनञ्चक्रे पन्नगेश्वरपुत्रयोः॥ 24.25 ॥

jaḍa uvāca tasyaitadvacanaṁ śrutvā sa tadā nṛpanandanaḥ mukāvalokanañcakre pannageśvaraputrayoḥ

Hearing these words, the prince then turned a silent, questioning glance upon the two sons of the serpent-lord.

Verse 26 (markandeya.24.26)

ततस्तौ प्रणिपत्योभौ राजपुत्रस्य यन्मतम् । तत् पितुः सकलं वीरौ कथयामासतुः स्फुटम्॥ 24.26 ॥

tatastau praṇipatyobhau rājaputrasya yanmatam tat pituḥ sakalaṁ vīrau kathayāmāsatuḥ sphuṭam

Then those two heroes bowed to their father and clearly told him everything that was in the prince's mind.

Verse 27 (markandeya.24.27)

पुत्रापूचतुः ततोऽस्य पत्नी दयिता श्रुत्वेमं विनिपातितम् । अत्यजद्दयितान् प्राणान् विप्रलब्धा दुरात्मना॥ 24.27 ॥

putrāpūcatuḥ tato ’sya patnī dayitā śrutvemaṁ vinipātitam atyajaddayitān prāṇān vipralabdhā durātmanā

'When his beloved wife heard of his supposed death — deceived by that evil-minded demon — she gave up her own dear life —'

Verse 28 (markandeya.24.28)

केनापि कृतवैरेण दानवेन कुबुद्धिना । गन्धर्वराजस्य सुता नाम्ना ख्याता मदालसा॥ 24.28 ॥

kenāpi kṛtavaireṇa dānavena kubuddhinā gandharvarājasya sutā nāmnā khyātā madālasā

'—a demon of evil intent, acting out of some old enmity. She was the daughter of the gandharva king, renowned by the name Madalasa.'

Verse 29 (markandeya.24.29)

कुतज्ञोऽयं ततस्तात ! प्रतिज्ञां कृतवानिमाम् । नान्या भार्या भवित्रीति वर्जयित्वा मदालसाम्॥ 24.29 ॥

kutajño ’yaṁ tatastāta ! pratijñāṁ kṛtavānimām nānyā bhāryā bhavitrīti varjayitvā madālasām

'Since then, father, out of gratitude to her, this man has made a vow that no woman but Madalasa shall ever be his wife.'

Verse 30 (markandeya.24.30)

द्रष्टुं तां चारुसर्वाङ्गीमयं वीर ! ऋतध्वजः । तात ! वाञ्छति यद्येतत् क्रियते तत् कृतं भवेत्॥ 24.30 ॥

draṣṭuṁ tāṁ cārusarvāṅgīmayaṁ vīra ! ṛtadhvajaḥ tāta ! vāñchati yadyetat kriyate tat kṛtaṁ bhavet

'Father, this hero Ritadhvaja longs to see her, so lovely in every limb; if this could be arranged, it would be the greatest service done for him.'

Verse 31 (markandeya.24.31)

अश्वतर उवाच भूतैर्वियोगिनो योगस्तादृशैरेव तादृशः । कथमेतद्विना स्वप्नं मायां वा शम्बरोदिताम्॥ 24.31 ॥

aśvatara uvāca bhūtairviyogino yogastādṛśaireva tādṛśaḥ kathametadvinā svapnaṁ māyāṁ vā śambaroditām

'How could beings once separated by death be reunited again in just the same form, except through a dream, or through some illusion such as Shambara conjures?'

Verse 32 (markandeya.24.32)

जड उवाच प्रणिपत्य भुजङ्गेशं पुत्रः शत्रुजितस्ततः । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं प्रेमलज्जासमन्वितः॥ 24.32 ॥

jaḍa uvāca praṇipatya bhujaṅgeśaṁ putraḥ śatrujitastataḥ pratyuvāca mahātmānaṁ premalajjāsamanvitaḥ

Then Shatrujit's son bowed to the lord of serpents and, filled with both affection and shyness, said to that great soul —

Verse 33 (markandeya.24.33)

मायामयीमप्यधुना मम तात ! मदालसाम् । यदि दर्शयते मन्ये परं कृतमनुग्रहम्॥ 24.33 ॥

māyāmayīmapyadhunā mama tāta ! madālasām yadi darśayate manye paraṁ kṛtamanugraham

'Father, even if you were now to show me an illusory Madalasa, conjured by magic alone, I would still count it the greatest of favors.'

Verse 34 (markandeya.24.34)

अश्वतर उवाच तस्मात् पश्येह वत्स ! त्वं मायाञ्चेद् द्रष्टुमिच्छसि । अनुग्राह्यो भवान् गेहं बालोऽप्यभ्यागतो गुरुः॥ 24.34 ॥

aśvatara uvāca tasmāt paśyeha vatsa ! tvaṁ māyāñced draṣṭumicchasi anugrāhyo bhavān gehaṁ bālo ’pyabhyāgato guruḥ

'Then look here, my child, if you truly wish to see the illusion. You are a guest deserving of favor in this house; though young, you are worthy of honor, like a teacher come to visit.'

Verse 35 (markandeya.24.35)

जड उवाच आनयामास नागेन्द्रो गृहगुप्तां मदालसाम् । तेषां संमोहनार्थाय ज्जल्प च ततः स्फुटम्॥ 24.35 ॥

jaḍa uvāca ānayāmāsa nāgendro gṛhaguptāṁ madālasām teṣāṁ saṁmohanārthāya jjalpa ca tataḥ sphuṭam

The serpent-king brought forth Madalasa, who had been kept hidden away within the house, and then, to bewilder them, spoke clearly —

Verse 36 (markandeya.24.36)

दर्शयामास च तदा राजपुत्राय तां शुभाम् । सेयं न वेति ते भार्या राजपुत्र ! मदालसा॥ 24.36 ॥

darśayāmāsa ca tadā rājaputrāya tāṁ śubhām seyaṁ na veti te bhāryā rājaputra ! madālasā

—and, presenting that fair woman before the prince, said, 'O prince, is this your wife Madalasa, or is it not?'

Verse 37 (markandeya.24.37)

जड उवाच स दृष्ट्वा तां तदा तन्वीं तत्क्षणात् विगतत्रपः । प्रियेति तामभिमुखं ययौ वाचमुदीरयन् । निवारयामास च तं नागः सोऽश्वतरस्त्वरन्॥ 24.37 ॥

jaḍa uvāca sa dṛṣṭvā tāṁ tadā tanvīṁ tatkṣaṇāt vigatatrapaḥ priyeti tāmabhimukhaṁ yayau vācamudīrayan nivārayāmāsa ca taṁ nāgaḥ so ’śvatarastvaran

The moment he saw that slender girl, all shyness forgotten, he moved toward her, crying, 'My beloved!' — but the serpent Ashvatara quickly held him back.

Verse 38 (markandeya.24.38)

अश्वतर उवाच मायेयं पुत्र ! मा स्प्राक्षीः प्रागेव कथितं तव । अन्तर्धानमुपैत्याशु माया संस्पर्शनादिभिः॥ 24.38 ॥

aśvatara uvāca māyeyaṁ putra ! mā sprākṣīḥ prāgeva kathitaṁ tava antardhānamupaityāśu māyā saṁsparśanādibhiḥ

'My child, this is only illusion — do not touch her! I told you so beforehand. At the very touch, this illusion will vanish at once.'

Verse 39 (markandeya.24.39)

ततः पपात मेदिन्यां स तु मूर्च्छापरिप्लुतः । हा प्रियेति वदन् सोऽथ चिन्तयामास भामिनीम्॥ 24.39 ॥

tataḥ papāta medinyāṁ sa tu mūrcchāpariplutaḥ hā priyeti vadan so ’tha cintayāmāsa bhāminīm

Then, overcome with a swoon, he fell to the ground, crying, 'Oh, my beloved!', his thoughts fixed only upon that lovely girl.

Verse 40 (markandeya.24.40)

अहो स्नेहोऽस्य नृपतेर्ममोपर्यचलं मनः । येनायं पातनोऽरीणां विना शस्त्रेण पातितः॥ 24.40 ॥

aho sneho ’sya nṛpatermamoparyacalaṁ manaḥ yenāyaṁ pātano ’rīṇāṁ vinā śastreṇa pātitaḥ

'Ah, how unwavering is this prince's love for me — he who fells his enemies has now been felled himself, without any weapon at all.'

Verse 41 (markandeya.24.41)

मायेति दर्शिता तेन मिथ्या मायेति यत्स्फुटम् । वाय्वम्बुतेजसां भुमेराकाशस्य च चेष्टया॥ 24.41 ॥

māyeti darśitā tena mithyā māyeti yatsphuṭam vāyvambutejasāṁ bhumerākāśasya ca ceṣṭayā

That which had so clearly been shown as mere illusion, false and unreal, wrought only by the workings of air, water, fire, earth and sky —

Verse 42 (markandeya.24.42)

जड उवाच ततः कुवलयाश्वं तं समाश्वास्य भुजङ्गमः । कथयामास तत् सर्वं मृतसञ्जीवनादिकम्॥ 24.42 ॥

jaḍa uvāca tataḥ kuvalayāśvaṁ taṁ samāśvāsya bhujaṅgamaḥ kathayāmāsa tat sarvaṁ mṛtasañjīvanādikam

—then that serpent comforted Kuvalayashva, and told him the whole story: the resurrection of the dead girl, and all that had truly happened.

Verse 43 (markandeya.24.43)

ततः प्रहृष्टः प्रतिलभ्य कान्तां प्रणम्य नागं निजगाम सोऽथ । सुशोभमानः स्वपुरं तमश्वम् आरुह्य संचिन्तितमभ्युपतेम्॥ 24.43 ॥

tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ pratilabhya kāntāṁ praṇamya nāgaṁ nijagāma so ’tha suśobhamānaḥ svapuraṁ tamaśvam āruhya saṁcintitamabhyupatem

Then, overjoyed at regaining his beloved, he bowed to the serpent-king and, mounting that same horse, radiant with happiness, set out for his own longed-for city.