Baladeva's Slaying of a Brahmana

Verse 1 (markandeya.6.1)

पक्षिण ऊचुः । रामः पार्थे परां प्रीतिं ज्ञात्वा कृष्णस्य लाङ्गली । चिन्तयामास बहुधा किं कृतं सुकृतं भवेत् ॥ 6.1 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ / rāmaḥ pārthe parāṃ prītiṃ jñātvā kṛṣṇasya lāṅgalī / cintayāmāsa bahudhā kiṃ kṛtaṃ sukṛtaṃ bhavet // 6.1 //

The birds said: Balarama, the plough-bearer, learning of Krishna's supreme affection for Partha (Arjuna), pondered again and again what good deed he himself should perform.

Verse 2 (markandeya.6.2)

कृष्णेन हि विना नाहं यास्ये दुर्योधनान्तिकम् । पाण्डवान् वा समाश्रित्य कथं दुर्योधनं नृपम् ॥ 6.2 ॥

kṛṣṇena hi vinā nāhaṃ yāsye duryodhanāntikam / pāṇḍavān vā samāśritya kathaṃ duryodhanaṃ nṛpam // 6.2 //

[He thought:] Without Krishna I will not go to Duryodhana's side; nor, taking refuge with the Pandavas, could I go against King Duryodhana.

Verse 3 (markandeya.6.3)

जामातरं तथा शिष्यं घातयिष्ये नरेश्वरम् । तस्मान्न पार्थं यास्यामि नापि दुर्योधनं नृपम् ॥ 6.3 ॥

jāmātaraṃ tathā śiṣyaṃ ghātayiṣye nareśvaram / tasmānna pārthaṃ yāsyāmi nāpi duryodhanaṃ nṛpam // 6.3 //

I would only bring about the death of that lord of men who is both my son-in-law and my disciple. Therefore I shall go neither to Partha nor to King Duryodhana.

Verse 4 (markandeya.6.4)

तीर्थेष्वाप्लावयिष्यामि तावदात्मानमात्मना । कुरूणां पाण्डवानां च यावदन्ताय कल्पते ॥ 6.4 ॥

tīrtheṣvāplāvayiṣyāmi tāvadātmānamātmanā / kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca yāvadantāya kalpate // 6.4 //

Instead, for as long as this destruction of the Kurus and Pandavas runs its course, I shall purify myself by bathing at the sacred fords.

Verse 5 (markandeya.6.5)

इत्यामन्त्र्य हृषीकेशं पार्थ-दुर्योधनावपि । जगाम द्वारकां शौरिः स्वसैन्युपरिवारितः ॥ 6.5 ॥

ityāmantrya hṛṣīkeśaṃ pārtha-duryodhanāvapi / jagāma dvārakāṃ śauriḥ svasainyuparivāritaḥ // 6.5 //

Having thus taken leave of Hrishikesha (Krishna), and of both Partha and Duryodhana, Shauri (Balarama) went to Dvaraka, surrounded by his own troops.

Verse 6 (markandeya.6.6)

गत्वा द्वारवतीं रामो हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम् । श्वो गन्तव्येषु तीर्थेषु पपौ पानं हलायुधः ॥ 6.6 ॥

gatvā dvāravatīṃ rāmo hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām / śvo gantavyeṣu tīrtheṣu papau pānaṃ halāyudhaḥ // 6.6 //

Having gone to Dvaravati, thronged with hale and prosperous people, Balarama drank wine, the sacred fords still awaiting him the next day.

Verse 7 (markandeya.6.7)

पीतपानो जगामाथ रैवतोद्यानमृद्धिमत् । हस्ते गृहीत्वा समदां रेवतीमप्सरोपमाम् ॥ 6.7 ॥

pītapāno jagāmātha raivatodyānamṛddhimat / haste gṛhītvā samadāṃ revatīmapsaropamām // 6.7 //

Having drunk his wine, he went on to the prosperous garden of Mount Raivataka, taking by the hand Revati, who was as lovely as an apsaras and equally intoxicated.

Verse 8 (markandeya.6.8)

स्त्रीकदम्बकमध्यस्थो ययौ मत्तः पदा स्खलन् । ददर्शच वनं वीरो रमणीयमनुत्तमम् ॥ 6.8 ॥

strīkadambakamadhyastho yayau mattaḥ padā skhalan / dadarśaca vanaṃ vīro ramaṇīyamanuttamam // 6.8 //

Standing amid a throng of women, intoxicated and stumbling in his gait, the hero walked on and beheld a most delightful, unsurpassed forest.

Verse 9 (markandeya.6.9)

सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पाढ्यं शाखामृगगणाकुलम् । पुण्यं पद्मवनोपेतं सपल्वलमहावनम् ॥ 6.9 ॥

sarvartuphalapuṣpāḍhyaṃ śākhāmṛgagaṇākulam / puṇyaṃ padmavanopetaṃ sapalvalamahāvanam // 6.9 //

That great sacred forest was rich with the fruits and flowers of every season, thronged with troops of monkeys, and adorned with lotus-groves and pools.

Verse 10 (markandeya.6.10)

स शृण्वन् प्रीतिजननान् बहून् मदकलान् शुभान् । श्रोत्ररम्यान् सुमधुरान् शब्दान् खगमुखेरितान् ॥ 6.10 ॥

sa śṛṇvan prītijananān bahūn madakalān śubhān / śrotraramyān sumadhurān śabdān khagamukheritān // 6.10 //

He listened to the many joyous, sweetly languorous, ear-pleasing sounds that poured from the mouths of the birds.

Verse 11 (markandeya.6.11)

सर्वर्तुफलभाराढ्यान् सर्वर्तुकुसुमोज्ज्वलान् । अपश्यत् पादपांस्तत्र विहगैरनुनादितान् ॥ 6.11 ॥

sarvartuphalabhārāḍhyān sarvartukusumojjvalān / apaśyat pādapāṃstatra vihagairanunāditān // 6.11 //

There he saw trees heavy with the fruit of every season, brilliant with the blossoms of every season, resounding with the calls of birds.

Verse 12 (markandeya.6.12)

आम्रानाम्रातकान् भव्यान् नारिकेलान् सतिन्दुकान् । आविल्वकांस्तथा जीरान् दाडिमान् बीजपूरकान् ॥ 6.12 ॥

āmrānāmrātakān bhavyān nārikelān satindukān / āvilvakāṃstathā jīrān dāḍimān bījapūrakān // 6.12 //

He saw fine mango and hog-plum trees, coconut and ebony trees, wood-apple and jujube, pomegranate and citron trees.

Verse 13 (markandeya.6.13)

पनसान् लकुचान् मोचान् नीपांश्चातिमनोहरान् । पारावतांश्च कङ्कोलान् नलिनानम्लवेतसान् ॥ 6.13 ॥

panasān lakucān mocān nīpāṃścātimanoharān / pārāvatāṃśca kaṅkolān nalinānamlavetasān // 6.13 //

He saw jackfruit, monkey-jack, and plantain trees, exceedingly lovely kadamba trees, and other fine trees, along with lotuses and sour cane.

Verse 14 (markandeya.6.14)

भल्लातकानामलकांस्तिन्दुकांश्च महाफलान् । इङ्गुदान् करमर्दांश्च हरीतक-विभीतकान् ॥ 6.14 ॥

bhallātakānāmalakāṃstindukāṃśca mahāphalān / iṅgudān karamardāṃśca harītaka-vibhītakān // 6.14 //

There were marking-nut, gooseberry, and great fruited ebony trees, ingudi and karonda shrubs, and trees bearing harītakī and vibhītaka.

Verse 15 (markandeya.6.15)

एतानन्यांश्च स तरून् ददर्श यदुनन्दनः । तथैवाशोक-पुन्नाग-केतकी-बकुलानथ ॥ 6.15 ॥

etānanyāṃśca sa tarūn dadarśa yadunandanaḥ / tathaivāśoka-punnāga-ketakī-bakulānatha // 6.15 //

The delight of the Yadus (Balarama) saw these and other trees, and likewise ashoka, punnaga, ketaki, and bakula trees.

Verse 16 (markandeya.6.16)

चम्पकान् सप्तपर्णांश्च कर्णिकारान् समालतीन् । पारिजातान् कोविदारान् मन्दारान् बदरांस्तथा ॥ 6.16 ॥

campakān saptaparṇāṃśca karṇikārān samālatīn / pārijātān kovidārān mandārān badarāṃstathā // 6.16 //

He saw champaka and saptaparna trees, karnikara trees entwined with creepers, parijata, kovidara, mandara, and jujube trees.

Verse 17 (markandeya.6.17)

पाटलान् पुष्पितान् रम्यान् देवदारुद्रुमांस्तथा । सालांस्तालांस्तमालांश्च किंशौकान् वञ्जुलान् वरान् ॥ 6.17 ॥

pāṭalān puṣpitān ramyān devadārudrumāṃstathā / sālāṃstālāṃstamālāṃśca kiṃśaukān vañjulān varān // 6.17 //

He saw lovely trumpet-flower trees in bloom, and deodar, sal, palmyra, tamala, and kimshuka trees, along with fine willow-like vanjula trees.

Verse 18 (markandeya.6.18)

चकोरैः शातपत्रैश्च भृङ्गराजैस्तथा शुकैः । कोकिलैः कलविङ्कैश्च हारीतैर्जोवजीवकैः ॥ 6.18 ॥

cakoraiḥ śātapatraiśca bhṛṅgarājaistathā śukaiḥ / kokilaiḥ kalaviṅkaiśca hārītairjovajīvakaiḥ // 6.18 //

The forest resounded with chakora partridges and other birds, with bhringaraja birds and parrots, with cuckoos, sparrows, green pigeons, and jivajivaka birds,

Verse 19 (markandeya.6.19)

प्रियपुत्रैश्चातकैश्च तथान्यैर्विविधैः खगैः । श्रोत्ररम्यं सुमधुरं कूजद्भिश्चाप्यधिष्ठितम् ॥ 6.19 ॥

priyaputraiścātakaiśca tathānyairvividhaiḥ khagaiḥ / śrotraramyaṃ sumadhuraṃ kūjadbhiścāpyadhiṣṭhitam // 6.19 //

and with priyaputra and chataka birds and many other kinds of birds besides, all warbling sweetly and delightfully to the ear.

Verse 20 (markandeya.6.20)

सरांसि च मनोज्ञानि प्रसन्नसलिलानि च । कुमुदैः पुण्डरीकैश्च तथा नीलोत्पलैः शुभैः ॥ 6.20 ॥

sarāṃsi ca manojñāni prasannasalilāni ca / kumudaiḥ puṇḍarīkaiśca tathā nīlotpalaiḥ śubhaiḥ // 6.20 //

There were also lovely lakes with clear water, covered with white water-lilies, white lotuses, and beautiful blue lotuses,

Verse 21 (markandeya.6.21)

कह्लारैः कमलैश्चापि आचितानि समन्ततः । कादम्बैश्चक्रवाकैश्च तथैव जलकुक्कुटैः ॥ 6.21 ॥

kahlāraiḥ kamalaiścāpi ācitāni samantataḥ / kādambaiścakravākaiśca tathaiva jalakukkuṭaiḥ // 6.21 //

crowded on every side with red water-lilies and lotuses, and with kadamba geese, chakravaka birds, and water-hens,

Verse 22 (markandeya.6.22)

कारण्डवैः प्लवैर्हंसैः कूर्मैर्मद्गुभिरेव च । एभिश्चान्यैश्च कीर्णानि समन्ताज्जलचारिभिः ॥ 6.22 ॥

kāraṇḍavaiḥ plavairhaṃsaiḥ kūrmairmadgubhireva ca / ebhiścānyaiśca kīrṇāni samantājjalacāribhiḥ // 6.22 //

filled on every side with karandava ducks, diving birds, swans, tortoises, cormorants, and other creatures that move in the water.

Verse 23 (markandeya.6.23)

क्रमेणेत्थं वनं शौरिर्वोक्षमाणो मनोरमम् । जगामानुगतः स्त्रीभिर्लतागृहमनुत्तमम् ॥ 6.23 ॥

krameṇetthaṃ vanaṃ śaurirvokṣamāṇo manoramam / jagāmānugataḥ strībhirlatāgṛhamanuttamam // 6.23 //

Thus gradually surveying that lovely forest, Shauri (Balarama), followed by the women, went on to an unsurpassed bower of creepers.

Verse 24 (markandeya.6.24)

स ददर्श द्विजांस्तत्र वेदवेदाङ्गपारगान् । कौशिकान् भार्गवांश्चैव भारद्वाजान् सगौतमान् ॥ 6.24 ॥

sa dadarśa dvijāṃstatra vedavedāṅgapāragān / kauśikān bhārgavāṃścaiva bhāradvājān sagautamān // 6.24 //

There he saw brahmanas learned in the Vedas and Vedangas — Kaushikas, Bhargavas, Bharadvajas, and Gautamas,

Verse 25 (markandeya.6.25)

विविधेषु च सम्भूतान् वंशेषु द्विजसत्तमान् । कथाश्रवणबद्धोत्कानुपविष्टान् महत्सु च ॥ 6.25 ॥

vividheṣu ca sambhūtān vaṃśeṣu dvijasattamān / kathāśravaṇabaddhotkānupaviṣṭān mahatsu ca // 6.25 //

the finest of brahmanas, born in various lineages, seated on fine mats, their attention fixed in eagerness to hear a tale,

Verse 26 (markandeya.6.26)

कृष्णाजिनोत्तरीयेषु कुशेषु च वृषीषु च । सूतञ्च तेषां मध्यस्थं कथयानं कथाः शुभाः ॥ 6.26 ॥

kṛṣṇājinottarīyeṣu kuśeṣu ca vṛṣīṣu ca / sūtañca teṣāṃ madhyasthaṃ kathayānaṃ kathāḥ śubhāḥ // 6.26 //

wearing black antelope-skins as upper garments, seated upon kusha grass and mats — and in their midst a suta narrating auspicious tales from the Puranas,

Verse 27 (markandeya.6.27)

पौराणिकीः सुरर्षोणामाद्यानां चरिताश्रयाः । दृष्ट्वा रामं द्विजाः सर्वे मधुपानारुणेक्षणम् ॥ 6.27 ॥

paurāṇikīḥ surarṣoṇāmādyānāṃ caritāśrayāḥ / dṛṣṭvā rāmaṃ dvijāḥ sarve madhupānāruṇekṣaṇam // 6.27 //

tales concerning the deeds of the primordial divine seers of old. Seeing Balarama there, his eyes reddened from drinking wine, all the brahmanas —

Verse 28 (markandeya.6.28)

मत्तोऽयमिति मन्वानाः समुत्तस्थुस्त्वरान्विताः । पूजयन्तो हलधरमृते तं सूतवंशजम् ॥ 6.28 ॥

matto 'yamiti manvānāḥ samuttasthustvarānvitāḥ / pūjayanto haladharamṛte taṃ sūtavaṃśajam // 6.28 //

thinking 'this is some drunken man,' rose up hastily to honor the plough-bearer — all except that one born of a suta's lineage, who alone did not rise.

Verse 29 (markandeya.6.29)

ततः क्रोधसमाविष्टो हली सूतं महाबलः । निजघान विवृत्ताक्षः क्षोभिताशेषदानवः ॥ 6.29 ॥

tataḥ krodhasamāviṣṭo halī sūtaṃ mahābalaḥ / nijaghāna vivṛttākṣaḥ kṣobhitāśeṣadānavaḥ // 6.29 //

Then the mighty plough-bearer, seized with anger, his eyes rolling, in a fury that could have shaken all the demons, struck down the suta.

Verse 30 (markandeya.6.30)

अध्यास्याति पदं ब्राह्मं तस्मिन् सूते निपातिते । निष्क्रान्तास्ते द्विजाः सर्वे वनात् कृष्णाजिनाम्बराः ॥ 6.30 ॥

adhyāsyāti padaṃ brāhmaṃ tasmin sūte nipātite / niṣkrāntāste dvijāḥ sarve vanāt kṛṣṇājināmbarāḥ // 6.30 //

That suta, who had been on the very verge of attaining the rank of a brahmana, was thus struck down; and all those brahmanas, clad in antelope-skins, departed from the forest.

Verse 31 (markandeya.6.31)

अवधूतं तथात्मानं मन्यमानो हलायुधः । चिन्तयामास सुमहन्मया पापमिदं कृतम् ॥ 6.31 ॥

avadhūtaṃ tathātmānaṃ manyamāno halāyudhaḥ / cintayāmāsa sumahanmayā pāpamidaṃ kṛtam // 6.31 //

Balarama, realizing that he had thereby been shunned by them, reflected: 'A very great sin has been committed by me.'

Verse 32 (markandeya.6.32)

ब्राह्मं स्थानं गतो ह्येष यद् सूतो विनिपातितः । तथा हीमे द्विजाः सर्वे मामवेक्ष्य विनिर्गताः ॥ 6.32 ॥

brāhmaṃ sthānaṃ gato hyeṣa yad sūto vinipātitaḥ / tathā hīme dvijāḥ sarve māmavekṣya vinirgatāḥ // 6.32 //

'This suta had indeed attained the station of a brahmana; that is why, on seeing me after his death, all these brahmanas have departed.'

Verse 33 (markandeya.6.33)

शरीरस्य च मे गन्धो लोहस्येवासुखावहः । आत्मानञ्चावगच्छामि ब्रह्मघ्नमिव कुत्सितम् ॥ 6.33 ॥

śarīrasya ca me gandho lohasyevāsukhāvahaḥ / ātmānañcāvagacchāmi brahmaghnamiva kutsitam // 6.33 //

'And the smell of my own body has become as ill-omened as that of iron; I know myself to have become as contemptible as a slayer of a brahmana.'

Verse 34 (markandeya.6.34)

धिगमर्षं तथा मद्यमतिमानमभीरुताम् । यैराविष्टेन सुमहन्मया पापमिदं कृतम् ॥ 6.34 ॥

dhigamarṣaṃ tathā madyamatimānamabhīrutām / yairāviṣṭena sumahanmayā pāpamidaṃ kṛtam // 6.34 //

'Shame on my intolerance, on the wine, on my excessive pride, and on my recklessness — possessed by which I have committed this very great sin.'

Verse 35 (markandeya.6.35)

तत्क्षयार्थं चरिष्यामि व्रतं द्वादशवार्षिकम् । स्वकर्मख्यापनं कुर्वंन् प्रयश्चित्तमनुत्तमम् ॥ 6.35 ॥

tatkṣayārthaṃ cariṣyāmi vrataṃ dvādaśavārṣikam / svakarmakhyāpanaṃ kurvaṃn prayaścittamanuttamam // 6.35 //

'To destroy that sin, proclaiming my own deed, I shall observe a twelve-year vow — this is the highest expiation.'

Verse 36 (markandeya.6.36)

अथ येयं समारब्धा तीर्थयात्रा मयाधुना । एतामेव प्रयास्यामि प्रतिलोमां सरस्वतीम् ॥ 6.36 ॥

atha yeyaṃ samārabdhā tīrthayātrā mayādhunā / etāmeva prayāsyāmi pratilomāṃ sarasvatīm // 6.36 //

'Now, as for this pilgrimage to the sacred fords that I have begun — I shall complete it by going against the very current of the Sarasvati, along her reverse course.'

Verse 37 (markandeya.6.37)

अतो जगाम रामोऽसौ प्रतिलोमां सरस्वतीम् । ततः परं शृणुष्वेमं पाण्डवेयकथाश्रयम् ॥ 6.37 ॥

ato jagāma rāmo 'sau pratilomāṃ sarasvatīm / tataḥ paraṃ śṛṇuṣvemaṃ pāṇḍaveyakathāśrayam // 6.37 //

So Balarama then went upstream, against the current of the Sarasvati. Hereafter, listen to this account connected with the story of the Pandavas.