Indra's Affliction

Verse 1 (markandeya.5.1)

पक्षिण ऊचुः त्वष्टृपुत्रे हते पूर्वं ब्रह्मन्निन्द्रस्य तेजसः । ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतस्य परा हानिरजायत ॥ 5.1 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ tvaṣṭṛputre hate pūrvaṁ brahmannindrasya tejasaḥ brahmahatyābhibhūtasya parā hānirajāyata

O brahmin, formerly, when Tvashtri's son was slain, a great diminishing occurred in the power of Indra, who was overcome by the sin of killing a brahmin.

Verse 2 (markandeya.5.2)

तद्धमं प्रविवेशाथ शाक्रतेजोऽपचारतः । निस्तेजाश्चाभवच्छक्रो धर्मे तेजसि निर्गते ॥ 5.2 ॥

taddhamaṁ praviveśātha śākratejo ’pacārataḥ nistejāścābhavacchakro dharme tejasi nirgate

Then, through that transgression, Shakra's power entered into Dharma, and Shakra became powerless, once his power had departed into Dharma.

Verse 3 (markandeya.5.3)

ततः पुत्रं हतं श्रुत्वा त्वष्टा क्रुद्धः प्रजापतिः । अवलुञ्च्य जटामेकामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ 5.3 ॥

tataḥ putraṁ hataṁ śrutvā tvaṣṭā kruddhaḥ prajāpatiḥ avaluñcya jaṭāmekāmidaṁ vacanamabravīt

Then, hearing that his son had been slain, Tvashtri, the Prajapati, filled with rage, tore out one lock of his matted hair and spoke these words:

Verse 4 (markandeya.5.4)

अद्य पश्यन्तु मे वीर्यं त्रयो लोकाः सदेवताः । स च पश्यतु दुर्बुद्धिर्ब्रह्महा पाकशासनः ॥ 5.4 ॥

adya paśyantu me vīryaṁ trayo lokāḥ sadevatāḥ sa ca paśyatu durbuddhirbrahmahā pākaśāsanaḥ

"Let the three worlds together with their gods witness my power this day! And let that evil-minded Pakashasana, that slayer of a brahmin, witness it too —

Verse 5 (markandeya.5.5)

स्वकर्माभिरतो येन मत्सुतो विनपातितः । इत्युक्त्वा कोपरक्ताक्षो जटामग्नौ जुहाव ताम् ॥ 5.5 ॥

svakarmābhirato yena matsuto vinapātitaḥ ityuktvā koparaktākṣo jaṭāmagnau juhāva tām

he by whom, devoted only to his own selfish ends, my son was struck down." So saying, his eyes red with wrath, he offered that lock of hair into the fire.

Verse 6 (markandeya.5.6)

ततो वृत्रः समुत्तस्थौ ज्वालामाली महासुरः । महाकायो महादंष्ट्रो भिन्नाञ्जनचयप्रभः ॥ 5.6 ॥

tato vṛtraḥ samuttasthau jvālāmālī mahāsuraḥ mahākāyo mahādaṁṣṭro bhinnāñjanacayaprabhaḥ

Then there arose Vritra, a great asura garlanded with flames, of vast body and mighty fangs, radiant like a broken mass of collyrium.

Verse 7 (markandeya.5.7)

इन्द्रशत्रुरमेयात्मा त्वष्टृतेजोपबृंहितः । अहन्यहनि सोऽवर्धदिषुपातं महाबलः ॥ 5.7 ॥

indraśatrurameyātmā tvaṣṭṛtejopabṛṁhitaḥ ahanyahani so ’vardhadiṣupātaṁ mahābalaḥ

The enemy of Indra, of immeasurable being, augmented by the power of Tvashtri — that mighty one grew day by day, to the range of an arrow's flight.

Verse 8 (markandeya.5.8)

वधाय चात्मनो दृष्ट्वा वृत्रं शक्रो महासुरम् । प्रेषयामास सप्तर्षोन् सन्धिमिच्छन् भयातुरः ॥ 5.8 ॥

vadhāya cātmano dṛṣṭvā vṛtraṁ śakro mahāsuram preṣayāmāsa saptarṣon sandhimicchan bhayāturaḥ

Seeing that great asura Vritra bent upon his own destruction, Shakra, overcome with terror, and desiring a truce, sent forth the Seven Sages.

Verse 9 (markandeya.5.9)

सख्यञ्चक्रुस्ततस्तस्य वृत्रेण समयांस्तथा । ऋषयः प्रीतमनसः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥ 5.9 ॥

sakhyañcakrustatastasya vṛtreṇa samayāṁstathā ṛṣayaḥ prītamanasaḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ

The sages then, their minds well-disposed, devoted to the welfare of all beings, arranged a friendship for him, together with certain agreed terms, with Vritra.

Verse 10 (markandeya.5.10)

समयस्थितिमुल्लङ्घ्य यदा शक्रेण घातितः । वृत्रो हत्याभिभूतस्य तदा बलमशीर्यत ॥ 5.10 ॥

samayasthitimullaṅghya yadā śakreṇa ghātitaḥ vṛtro hatyābhibhūtasya tadā balamaśīryata

But when Vritra was slain by Shakra in violation of the terms of that pact, then the strength of Shakra, now overcome by the sin of that killing, was shattered.

Verse 11 (markandeya.5.11)

तच्छक्रदेहविभ्रष्टं बलं मारुतमाविशत् । सर्वव्यापिनमव्यक्तं बलस्यैवाधिदैवतम् ॥ 5.11 ॥

tacchakradehavibhraṣṭaṁ balaṁ mārutamāviśat sarvavyāpinamavyaktaṁ balasyaivādhidaivatam

That strength, fallen away from Shakra's body, entered into Maruta, the all-pervading and unmanifest one, the very presiding deity of strength.

Verse 12 (markandeya.5.12)

अहल्याञ्च यदा शक्रो गौतमं रूपमास्थितः । धर्षयामास देवेन्द्रस्तदा रूपमहीयत ॥ 5.12 ॥

ahalyāñca yadā śakro gautamaṁ rūpamāsthitaḥ dharṣayāmāsa devendrastadā rūpamahīyata

And when, having assumed the form of Gautama, the lord of the gods violated Ahalya, then his beauty of form was diminished.

Verse 13 (markandeya.5.13)

अङ्गप्रत्यङ्गलावण्यं यदतीव मनोरम् । विहाय दुष्टं देवेन्द्रं नासत्यावगमत् ततः ॥ 5.13 ॥

aṅgapratyaṅgalāvaṇyaṁ yadatīva manoram vihāya duṣṭaṁ devendraṁ nāsatyāvagamat tataḥ

That exceedingly charming loveliness of his every limb, abandoning the sinning lord of the gods, then passed into the two Nasatyas.

Verse 14 (markandeya.5.14)

धर्मेण तेजसा त्यक्तं बलहीनमरूपिणम् । ज्ञात्वा सुरेशं दैतेयास्तज्जये चक्रुरुद्यमम् ॥ 5.14 ॥

dharmeṇa tejasā tyaktaṁ balahīnamarūpiṇam jñātvā sureśaṁ daiteyāstajjaye cakrurudyamam

Knowing that the lord of the gods had thus been abandoned by Dharma and by his power, was bereft of strength and beauty, the Daityas made an effort to conquer him.

Verse 15 (markandeya.5.15)

राज्ञामुद्रिक्तवीर्याणां देवेन्द्रं विजिगीषवः । कुलेष्वतिबला दैत्या अजायन्त महामुने ॥ 5.15 ॥

rājñāmudriktavīryāṇāṁ devendraṁ vijigīṣavaḥ kuleṣvatibalā daityā ajāyanta mahāmune

O great sage, seeking to conquer the lord of the gods, exceedingly powerful Daityas were born into the families of kings of surpassing might.

Verse 16 (markandeya.5.16)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य धरणी भारपीडिता । जगाम मेरुशिखरं सदो यत्र दिवौकसाम् ॥ 5.16 ॥

kasyacittvatha kālasya dharaṇī bhārapīḍitā jagāma meruśikharaṁ sado yatra divaukasām

After some time, the earth, oppressed by its burden, went to the peak of Meru, to the assembly-hall of the dwellers of heaven.

Verse 17 (markandeya.5.17)

तेषां सा कथयामास भूरिभारावपीडिता । दनुजात्मजदैत्योत्थं खेदकारणमात्मनः ॥ 5.17 ॥

teṣāṁ sā kathayāmāsa bhūribhārāvapīḍitā danujātmajadaityotthaṁ khedakāraṇamātmanaḥ

Oppressed by her exceedingly heavy burden, she told them of the cause of her own distress, arising from the sons of Danu and the Daityas.

Verse 18 (markandeya.5.18)

एते भवद्भिरसुरा निहताः पृथुलौजसः । ते सर्वे मानुषे लोके जाता गेहेषु भूभृताम् ॥ 5.18 ॥

ete bhavadbhirasurā nihatāḥ pṛthulaujasaḥ te sarve mānuṣe loke jātā geheṣu bhūbhṛtām

"These asuras of vast might, once slain by you, have all now been born in the world of men, in the houses of kings.

Verse 19 (markandeya.5.19)

अक्षौहिण्यो हि बहुलास्तद्भारार्ता व्रजाम्यधः । तथा कुरुध्वं त्रिदशा यथा शान्तिर्भवेन्मम ॥ 5.19 ॥

akṣauhiṇyo hi bahulāstadbhārārtā vrajāmyadhaḥ tathā kurudhvaṁ tridaśā yathā śāntirbhavenmama

Numerous armies now weigh upon me, and afflicted by their burden I am sinking down; therefore, O gods, act in such a way that I may find relief."

Verse 20 (markandeya.5.20)

पक्षिण ऊचुः तेजोभागैस्ततो देवा अवतेरुर्दिवो महीम् । प्रजानामुपकारार्थं भूभारहरणाय च ॥ 5.20 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ tejobhāgaistato devā avaterurdivo mahīm prajānāmupakārārthaṁ bhūbhāraharaṇāya ca

Then, in portions of their own splendor, the gods descended from heaven to earth, for the benefit of creatures and for the removal of the earth's burden.

Verse 21 (markandeya.5.21)

यदिन्द्रदेहजं तेजस्तन्मुमोच स्वयं वृषः । कुन्त्या जातो महातेजास्ततो राजा युधिष्ठिरः ॥ 5.21 ॥

yadindradehajaṁ tejastanmumoca svayaṁ vṛṣaḥ kuntyā jāto mahātejāstato rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

That splendor born of Indra's own body, the Bull released of his own accord; from it, born of Kunti, came the greatly splendorous King Yudhishthira.

Verse 22 (markandeya.5.22)

बलं मुमोच पवनस्ततो भीमो व्यजायत । शक्रवीर्यार्धतश्चैव जज्ञे पार्थो धनञ्जयः ॥ 5.22 ॥

balaṁ mumoca pavanastato bhīmo vyajāyata śakravīryārdhataścaiva jajñe pārtho dhanañjayaḥ

Vayu released his strength, and from that Bhima was born; and from half the power of Shakra, Partha Dhananjaya was born.

Verse 23 (markandeya.5.23)

उत्पन्नौ यमजौ माद्रयां शक्ररूपौ महाद्युती । पञ्चधा भगवानित्थमवतीर्णः शतक्रतुः ॥ 5.23 ॥

utpannau yamajau mādrayāṁ śakrarūpau mahādyutī pañcadhā bhagavānitthamavatīrṇaḥ śatakratuḥ

Twins of great splendor, resembling Shakra in form, were born to Madri; thus the Lord Shatakratu descended in five-fold form.

Verse 24 (markandeya.5.24)

तस्योत्पन्ना महाभागा पत्नी कृष्णा हुताशनात् ॥ 5.24 ॥

tasyotpannā mahābhāgā patnī kṛṣṇā hutāśanāt

His illustrious wife, Krishna, was born from the sacrificial fire.

Verse 25 (markandeya.5.25)

शक्रस्यैकस्य सा पत्नी कृष्णा नान्यस्य कस्यचित् । योगीश्वराः शरीराणि कुर्वन्ति बहुलान्यपि ॥ 5.25 ॥

śakrasyaikasya sā patnī kṛṣṇā nānyasya kasyacit yogīśvarāḥ śarīrāṇi kurvanti bahulānyapi

Krishna is the wife of Shakra alone, and of no other; for masters of yoga are able to assume many bodies at once.

Verse 26 (markandeya.5.26)

पञ्चानामेकपत्नीत्वमित्येतत् कथितं तव । श्रूयतां बलदेवोऽपि यथा यातः सरस्वतीम् ॥ 5.26 ॥

pañcānāmekapatnītvamityetat kathitaṁ tava śrūyatāṁ baladevo ’pi yathā yātaḥ sarasvatīm

Thus has this matter of the single wife of the five been explained to you; now hear also how Baladeva went to the Sarasvati.