Alarka's Self-Discernment

Verse 1 (markandeya.37.1)

जड उवाच । सोऽप्यलर्को यथान्यायं पुत्रवन्मुदिताः प्रजाः । पालयामास धर्मात्मा स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यवस्थिताः॥ ३७.१ ॥

jaḍa uvāca so 'pyalarko yathānyāyaṁ putravanmuditāḥ prajāḥ pālayāmāsa dharmātmā sve sve karmaṇyavasthitāḥ

Jada said: That Alarka too, righteous of soul, duly protected his rejoicing subjects like his own children, each established in his own duty.

Verse 2 (markandeya.37.2)

दुष्टैषु दण्डं शिष्टेषु सम्यक् च परिपालनम् । कुर्वन् परां मुदं लेभे इयाज च महामखैः॥ ३७.२ ॥

duṣṭaiṣu daṇḍaṁ śiṣṭeṣu samyak ca paripālanam kurvan parāṁ mudaṁ lebhe iyāja ca mahāmakhaiḥ

Meting out punishment to the wicked and rightly protecting the virtuous, he obtained the highest joy, and performed great sacrifices.

Verse 3 (markandeya.37.3)

अजायन्त सुताश्चास्य महाबलपराक्रमाः । धर्मात्मानो माहत्मानो विमार्गपरिपन्थिनः॥ ३७.३ ॥

ajāyanta sutāścāsya mahābalaparākramāḥ dharmātmāno māhatmāno vimārgaparipanthinaḥ

Sons were born to him, of great strength and valor, righteous and noble, who stood as obstacles in the path of wrongdoing.

Verse 4 (markandeya.37.4)

चकार सोर्ऽथं धर्मेण धर्ममर्थेन वा पुनः । तयोश्चैवाविरोधेन बुभुजे विषयानपि॥ ३७.४ ॥

cakāra sor 'thaṁ dharmeṇa dharmamarthena vā punaḥ tayoścaivāvirodhena bubhuje viṣayānapi

He pursued wealth through righteousness, and again righteousness through wealth; and, without contradicting either, he also enjoyed sensory pleasures.

Verse 5 (markandeya.37.5)

एवं बहूनि वर्षाणि तस्य पालयतो महीम् । धर्मार्थकामसक्तस्य जग्मुरेकमहर्यथा॥ ३७.५ ॥

evaṁ bahūni varṣāṇi tasya pālayato mahīm dharmārthakāmasaktasya jagmurekamaharyathā

Thus, devoted to righteousness, wealth, and desire, while he ruled the earth for many years, they passed for him as if a single day.

Verse 6 (markandeya.37.6)

वैराग्यं नास्य सञ्जज्ञे भुञ्जतो विषयान् प्रियान् । न चाप्यलमभूत्तस्य धर्मार्थोपार्जनं प्रति॥ ३७.६ ॥

vairāgyaṁ nāsya sañjajñe bhuñjato viṣayān priyān na cāpyalamabhūttasya dharmārthopārjanaṁ prati

No dispassion arose in him as he enjoyed the pleasant objects of sense; nor was he ever satisfied in the acquisition of righteousness and wealth.

Verse 7 (markandeya.37.7)

तं तथा भोगसंसर्ग-प्रमत्तमजितेन्द्रियम् । सुबाहुर्नाम शुश्राव भ्राता तस्य वनेचरः॥ ३७.७ ॥

taṁ tathā bhogasaṁsarga-pramattamajitendriyam subāhurnāma śuśrāva bhrātā tasya vanecaraḥ

His brother Subahu, who dwelt in the forest, heard that Alarka was thus intoxicated by attachment to enjoyment and had not conquered his senses.

Verse 8 (markandeya.37.8)

तं बुबोधयिषुः सोऽथ चिरं ध्यात्वा महीपतिः । तद्वैरिसंश्रयं तस्य श्रेयोऽमन्यत भूपतेः॥ ३७.८ ॥

taṁ bubodhayiṣuḥ so 'tha ciraṁ dhyātvā mahīpatiḥ tadvairisaṁśrayaṁ tasya śreyo 'manyata bhūpateḥ

Wishing to bring him to his senses, that king, after long reflection, deemed it best for himself to seek alliance with Alarka's enemy.

Verse 9 (markandeya.37.9)

ततः स काशिभूपालमुदीर्णबलवाहनम् । स्वराज्यं प्राप्तुमागच्छद् बहुशः शरणं कृती॥ ३७.९ ॥

tataḥ sa kāśibhūpālamudīrṇabalavāhanam svarājyaṁ prāptumāgacchad bahuśaḥ śaraṇaṁ kṛtī

Then that resourceful Subahu went again and again for refuge to the King of Kashi, whose army and forces were vast, in order to gain his own share of the kingdom.

Verse 10 (markandeya.37.10)

सोऽपि चक्रे बलोद्योगमलर्कं प्रति पार्थिवः । दूतञ्च प्रेषयामास राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम्॥ ३७.१० ॥

so 'pi cakre balodyogamalarkaṁ prati pārthivaḥ dūtañca preṣayāmāsa rājyamasmai pradīyatām

That king too mustered his forces against Alarka, and sent an envoy with the message: 'Let the kingdom be given to him.'

Verse 11 (markandeya.37.11)

सोऽपि नैच्छत्तदा दातुमाज्ञापूर्वं स्वधर्मवित् । प्रत्युवाच च तं दूतमलर्कः काशिभूभृतः॥ ३७.११ ॥

so 'pi naicchattadā dātumājñāpūrvaṁ svadharmavit pratyuvāca ca taṁ dūtamalarkaḥ kāśibhūbhṛtaḥ

He, knowing his own duty, did not agree merely on command to give up the kingdom, and replied thus to that envoy of the king of Kashi:

Verse 12 (markandeya.37.12)

मामेवाभ्येत्य हार्देन याचतां राज्यमग्रजः । नाक्रान्त्या संप्रदास्यामि भयेनाल्पामपि क्षितिम्॥ ३७.१२ ॥

māmevābhyetya hārdena yācatāṁ rājyamagrajaḥ nākrāntyā saṁpradāsyāmi bhayenālpāmapi kṣitim

'Let my elder brother come to me himself and ask for the kingdom out of affection; I will not, out of fear of invasion, hand over even a small portion of the earth.'

Verse 13 (markandeya.37.13)

सुबाहुरपि नो याञ्चां चकार मतिमांस्तदा । न धर्मः क्षत्रियस्येति याञ्चा वीर्यधनो हि सः॥ ३७.१३ ॥

subāhurapi no yāñcāṁ cakāra matimāṁstadā na dharmaḥ kṣatriyasyeti yāñcā vīryadhano hi saḥ

Subahu too, being wise, then did not make such a request, thinking: 'Begging is not the duty of a kshatriya'; for he considered valor alone his true wealth.

Verse 14 (markandeya.37.14)

ततः समस्तसैन्येन काशीशः परिवारितः । आक्रान्तुमभ्यगाद्राष्ट्रमलर्कस्य महीपतेः॥ ३७.१४ ॥

tataḥ samastasainyena kāśīśaḥ parivāritaḥ ākrāntumabhyagādrāṣṭramalarkasya mahīpateḥ

Then the lord of Kashi, surrounded by his entire army, advanced to invade the kingdom of King Alarka.

Verse 15 (markandeya.37.15)

अनन्तरैश्च संश्लेषमभ्येत्य तदनन्तरम् । तेषामन्यतमैर्भृत्यैः समाक्रम्यानयद्वशम्॥ ३७.१५ ॥

anantaraiśca saṁśleṣamabhyetya tadanantaram teṣāmanyatamairbhṛtyaiḥ samākramyānayadvaśam

Forming alliance with the neighboring kings, he then, with the help of some of their own servants, overpowered them and brought them under his control.

Verse 16 (markandeya.37.16)

अपीडयंश्च सामान्तांस्तस्य राष्ट्रोपरोधनैः । तथा दुर्गानुपालांश्च चक्रे चाटविकान् वशे॥ ३७.१६ ॥

apīḍayaṁśca sāmāntāṁstasya rāṣṭroparodhanaiḥ tathā durgānupālāṁśca cakre cāṭavikān vaśe

He harassed the feudatories by besieging the kingdom, and likewise brought the guardians of the forts and the forest-dwelling tribes under his sway.

Verse 17 (markandeya.37.17)

कांश्चिच्चोपप्रदानेन कांश्चिद् भेदेन पार्थिवान् । साम्नैवान्यान् वशं निन्ये निभृतास्तस्य येऽभवन्॥ ३७.१७ ॥

kāṁściccopapradānena kāṁścid bhedena pārthivān sāmnaivānyān vaśaṁ ninye nibhṛtāstasya ye 'bhavan

Some kings he won over by gifts, some by sowing dissension, and those who remained secretly loyal to Alarka he brought under his power by conciliation alone.

Verse 18 (markandeya.37.18)

ततः सोऽल्पबलो राजा परचक्रावपीजितः । कोषक्षयमवापोच्चैः पुरञ्चारुध्यतारिणा॥ ३७.१८ ॥

tataḥ so 'lpabalo rājā paracakrāvapījitaḥ koṣakṣayamavāpoccaiḥ purañcārudhyatāriṇā

Then that king, his forces diminished, oppressed by the enemy's army, suffered great depletion of his treasury, while the enemy besieged his city.

Verse 19 (markandeya.37.19)

इत्थं सम्पीड्यमानस्तु क्षीणकोषो दिने दिने । विषादमागात्परमं व्याकुलत्वञ्च चेतसः॥ ३७.१९ ॥

itthaṁ sampīḍyamānastu kṣīṇakoṣo dine dine viṣādamāgātparamaṁ vyākulatvañca cetasaḥ

Thus afflicted, with his treasury dwindling day by day, he fell into the deepest despair and his mind grew agitated.

Verse 20 (markandeya.37.20)

आर्ति स परमां प्राप्य तत् सस्माराङ्गुलीयकम् । यदुद्दिश्य पुरा प्राह माता तस्य मदालसा॥ ३७.२० ॥

ārti sa paramāṁ prāpya tat sasmārāṅgulīyakam yaduddiśya purā prāha mātā tasya madālasā

Overcome by extreme distress, he remembered that ring which, long ago, his mother Madalasa had pointed to and spoken of.

Verse 21 (markandeya.37.21)

ततः स्त्रातः शुचिर्भूत्वा वाचयित्वा द्विजोत्तमान् । निष्कृष्य शासनं तस्माद्ददृशे प्रस्फुटाक्षरम्॥ ३७.२१ ॥

tataḥ strātaḥ śucirbhūtvā vācayitvā dvijottamān niṣkṛṣya śāsanaṁ tasmāddadṛśe prasphuṭākṣaram

Then, having bathed and become pure, and having had the foremost brahmins recite the sacred rites, he drew the instruction out from it and beheld its clearly written letters.

Verse 22 (markandeya.37.22)

तत्रैव लिखितं मात्रा वाचयामास पार्थिवः । प्रकाशपुलकाङ्गोऽसौ प्रहर्षोत्फुल्ललोचनः॥ ३७.२२ ॥

tatraiva likhitaṁ mātrā vācayāmāsa pārthivaḥ prakāśapulakāṅgo 'sau praharṣotphullalocanaḥ

The king read out what his mother had written there, his body thrilled with joy, his eyes wide with delight.

Verse 23 (markandeya.37.23)

सङ्गः सर्वात्मना त्याज्यः स चेत्त्यक्तुं न शक्यते । स सदिभः सह कर्तव्यः सतां सङ्गो हि भेषजम्॥ ३७.२३ ॥

saṅgaḥ sarvātmanā tyājyaḥ sa cettyaktuṁ na śakyate sa sadibhaḥ saha kartavyaḥ satāṁ saṅgo hi bheṣajam

'Attachment should be wholly abandoned; but if it cannot be abandoned, then let it be formed with the good, for the company of the good is indeed the remedy.'

Verse 24 (markandeya.37.24)

कामः सर्वात्मना हेयो हातुञ्चेच्छक्यते न सः । मुमुक्षां प्रति तत्कार्यं सैव तस्यापि भेषजम्॥ ३७.२४ ॥

kāmaḥ sarvātmanā heyo hātuñcecchakyate na saḥ mumukṣāṁ prati tatkāryaṁ saiva tasyāpi bheṣajam

'Desire too should be wholly renounced; but if it cannot be renounced, it should be directed toward the desire for liberation—that alone is its remedy.'

Verse 25 (markandeya.37.25)

वाचयित्वा तु बहुशो नृणां श्रेयः कथं त्विति । मुमुक्षयेति निश्चित्य सा च तत्सङ्गतो यतः॥ ३७.२५ ॥

vācayitvā tu bahuśo nṛṇāṁ śreyaḥ kathaṁ tviti mumukṣayeti niścitya sā ca tatsaṅgato yataḥ

Having had it read many times, pondering 'how then is the true good of men attained,' he concluded that it comes through the desire for liberation—and that itself from the company of the good.

Verse 26 (markandeya.37.26)

ततः स साधुसम्पर्कं चिन्तयन् पृथिवीपतिः । दत्तात्रेयं महाभागमगच्छत् परमार्तिमान्॥ ३७.२६ ॥

tataḥ sa sādhusamparkaṁ cintayan pṛthivīpatiḥ dattātreyaṁ mahābhāgamagacchat paramārtimān

Then that lord of the earth, reflecting on the need for association with the good, and deeply afflicted, went to the illustrious Dattatreya.

Verse 27 (markandeya.37.27)

तं समेत्य महात्मानमकल्पषमसङ्गिनम् । प्रणिपत्याभिसम्पूज्य यथान्यायमभाषत॥ ३७.२७ ॥

taṁ sametya mahātmānamakalpaṣamasaṅginam praṇipatyābhisampūjya yathānyāyamabhāṣata

Having approached that great soul, stainless and unattached, he bowed down, worshipped him duly, and spoke as follows.

Verse 28 (markandeya.37.28)

ब्रह्मन् ! कुरु प्रसादं मे शरणं शरणार्थिनाम् । दुः खापहारं कुरु मे दुः खार्तस्यातिकामिनः॥ ३७.२८ ॥

brahman ! kuru prasādaṁ me śaraṇaṁ śaraṇārthinām duḥ khāpahāraṁ kuru me duḥ khārtasyātikāminaḥ

'O Brahmin! Show me your grace, you who are the refuge of those who seek refuge. Take away my sorrow, for I am afflicted by sorrow and greatly distressed.'

Verse 29 (markandeya.37.29)

दुः खापहारमद्यैव करोमि तव पार्थिव ! । सत्यं ब्रूहि किमर्थं ते दुः खं तत् पृथिवीपते॥ ३७.२९ ॥

duḥ khāpahāramadyaiva karomi tava pārthiva ! satyaṁ brūhi kimarthaṁ te duḥ khaṁ tat pṛthivīpate

[Dattatreya replied:] 'O king, this very day I shall remove your sorrow. Tell me truly, O lord of the earth, for what reason is this sorrow of yours?'

Verse 30 (markandeya.37.30)

जड उवाच । इत्युक्तश्चिन्तयामास स राजा तेन धीमता । त्रिविधस्यापि दुः खस्य स्थानमात्मानमेव च॥ ३७.३० ॥

jaḍa uvāca ityuktaścintayāmāsa sa rājā tena dhīmatā trividhasyāpi duḥ khasya sthānamātmānameva ca

Jada said: Thus addressed, that wise king reflected that the self alone is the true seat, even of the threefold sorrow.

Verse 31 (markandeya.37.31)

स विमृष्य चिरं राजा पुनः पुनरुदारधीः । आत्मानमात्मना धीरः प्रहस्येदमथाब्रावीत्॥ ३७.३१ ॥

sa vimṛṣya ciraṁ rājā punaḥ punarudāradhīḥ ātmānamātmanā dhīraḥ prahasyedamathābrāvīt

That king, of noble intellect, having reflected long and repeatedly upon the self by the self, then, steadfast, smiled and spoke thus:

Verse 32 (markandeya.37.32)

नाहमुर्वो न सलिलं न ज्योतिरनिलो न च । नाकाशं किन्तु शारीरं समेत्य सुखमिष्यते॥ ३७.३२ ॥

nāhamurvo na salilaṁ na jyotiranilo na ca nākāśaṁ kintu śārīraṁ sametya sukhamiṣyate

'I am not earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, nor even space; but when these unite to form the body, pleasure and pain are experienced.'

Verse 33 (markandeya.37.33)

न्यूनातिरिक्ततां याति पञ्चकेऽस्मिन् सुखासुखम् । यदि स्यान्म किन्न स्यादन्यस्थेऽपि हि तन्मयि॥ ३७.३३ ॥

nyūnātiriktatāṁ yāti pañcake 'smin sukhāsukham yadi syānma kinna syādanyasthe 'pi hi tanmayi

'Pleasure and pain increase or decrease according to this set of five elements; were they truly mine, why would they not exist in me even when residing in another body?'

Verse 34 (markandeya.37.34)

नित्यप्रभूतसद्भावे न्यूनाधिक्यान्नतोन्नते । तथा च ममतात्यक्ते विशेषो नोपलभ्यते॥ ३७.३४ ॥

nityaprabhūtasadbhāve nyūnādhikyānnatonnate tathā ca mamatātyakte viśeṣo nopalabhyate

'In that which is eternal and ever-abundant, there is no rising and falling through increase or decrease; and thus, when the sense of "mine" is abandoned, no such distinction is found.'

Verse 35 (markandeya.37.35)

तन्मात्रावस्थिते सूक्ष्मे तृतीयांशे च पश्यतः । तथैव भूतसद्भावं शरीरं किं सुखासुखम्॥ ३७.३५ ॥

tanmātrāvasthite sūkṣme tṛtīyāṁśe ca paśyataḥ tathaiva bhūtasadbhāvaṁ śarīraṁ kiṁ sukhāsukham

'For one who perceives the body as merely the existence of the subtle elements resting in that third portion, how can the body itself be the seat of pleasure or pain?'

Verse 36 (markandeya.37.36)

मनस्यवस्थितं दुःखं सुखं वा मानसञ्च यत् । यतस्ततो न मे दुः खं सुखं वा नह्यहं मनः॥ ३७.३६ ॥

manasyavasthitaṁ duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ vā mānasañca yat yatastato na me duḥ khaṁ sukhaṁ vā nahyahaṁ manaḥ

'Whatever sorrow or joy resides in the mind, being mental, belongs to the mind alone; therefore neither that sorrow nor joy is mine, for I am not the mind.'

Verse 37 (markandeya.37.37)

नाहङ्कारो न च मनो बुद्धिर्नाहं यतस्ततः । अन्तः करणजं दुः खं पारख्यं मम तत्कथम्॥ ३७.३७ ॥

nāhaṅkāro na ca mano buddhirnāhaṁ yatastataḥ antaḥ karaṇajaṁ duḥ khaṁ pārakhyaṁ mama tatkatham

'I am neither ego, nor mind, nor intellect; so how can that sorrow, born of the inner faculty and belonging to another, be mine?'

Verse 38 (markandeya.37.38)

नाहं शरीरं न मनो यतोऽहं पृथक् शरीरान्मनसस्तथाहम् । तत् सन्तु चेतस्यथवापि देहे सुखानि दुः खानि च किं ममात्र॥ ३७.३८ ॥

nāhaṁ śarīraṁ na mano yato 'haṁ pṛthak śarīrānmanasastathāham tat santu cetasyathavāpi dehe sukhāni duḥ khāni ca kiṁ mamātra

'I am not the body, nor the mind, for I am distinct from both the body and the mind; let pleasures and pains be in the mind or in the body—what are they to me in this matter?'

Verse 39 (markandeya.37.39)

राज्यस्य वाञ्छां सुरुतेऽग्रजोऽस्य देहस्य चेत् पञ्चमयः स राशिः । गुणप्रवृत्त्या मम किन्नु तत्र तत्स्थः स चाहञ्च शरीरतोऽन्यः॥ ३७.३९ ॥

rājyasya vāñchāṁ surute 'grajo 'sya dehasya cet pañcamayaḥ sa rāśiḥ guṇapravṛttyā mama kinnu tatra tatsthaḥ sa cāhañca śarīrato 'nyaḥ

'If, for the sake of this body—merely a mass of the five elements, active only through the play of the guṇas—my elder brother craves the kingdom, what is that to me? Both he and I stand apart from the body.'

Verse 40 (markandeya.37.40)

न यस्य हस्तादिकमप्यशेषं मांसं न चास्थीनि खिराविभागः । कस्तस्य नागाश्वरथादिकोषैः स्वल्पोऽपि सम्बन्ध इहास्ति पुंसः॥ ३७.४० ॥

na yasya hastādikamapyaśeṣaṁ māṁsaṁ na cāsthīni khirāvibhāgaḥ kastasya nāgāśvarathādikoṣaiḥ svalpo 'pi sambandha ihāsti puṁsaḥ

'For that person to whom not even the hands and other limbs, nor all the flesh and bones, wholly belong—what connection, however slight, can he have with elephants, horses, chariots, and treasuries?'

Verse 41 (markandeya.37.41)

तस्मान्न मेऽरिर्न च मेऽस्ति दुः खं न मे सुखं नापि पुरं न कोषम् । न चाश्वनागादि बलं न तस्य नान्यस्य वा कस्यचिद्वा ममास्ति॥ ३७.४१ ॥

tasmānna me 'rirna ca me 'sti duḥ khaṁ na me sukhaṁ nāpi puraṁ na koṣam na cāśvanāgādi balaṁ na tasya nānyasya vā kasyacidvā mamāsti

'Therefore I have no enemy, nor is there any sorrow or joy that is mine, nor city, nor treasury; nor is the army of horses and elephants his, or anyone else's, or mine.'

Verse 42 (markandeya.37.42)

यथा घटीकुम्भकमण्डलुस्थम् आकाशमेकं बहुधा हि दृष्टम् । तथा सुबाहुः स च काशिपोऽहं मल्ये च देहेषु शरीरभेदैः॥ ३७.४२ ॥

yathā ghaṭīkumbhakamaṇḍalustham ākāśamekaṁ bahudhā hi dṛṣṭam tathā subāhuḥ sa ca kāśipo 'haṁ malye ca deheṣu śarīrabhedaiḥ

'Just as the one space, though contained in a pot, a jar, or a water-vessel, appears manifold, so too Subahu, the king of Kashi, and I—differing only by the distinction of bodies—are, in truth, one and the same being pervading all bodies alike.'