The Rakshasa Balaka and the Brahmana's Wife Restored

Verse 1 (markandeya.70.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच अथारुरोह स्वरथं प्रणिपत्य महामुनिम् । तेनाख्यातं वनन्तच्च प्रययावुत्पलावतम् ॥ 70.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca athāruroha svarathaṁ praṇipatya mahāmunim tenākhyātaṁ vanantacca prayayāvutpalāvatam

Markandeya said: Then, bowing to that great sage, he mounted his own chariot, and set out for the forest named by him — Utpalavata.

Verse 2 (markandeya.70.2)

यथाख्यातस्वरूपाञ्च भार्यां भर्त्रा द्विजस्य ताम् । भक्षयन्तीं ददार्शाथ श्रीफलानि नरेश्वरः ॥ 70.2 ॥

yathākhyātasvarūpāñca bhāryāṁ bhartrā dvijasya tām bhakṣayantīṁ dadārśātha śrīphalāni nareśvaraḥ

There the king beheld that wife, matching exactly the form her husband had described, eating bael fruits.

Verse 3 (markandeya.70.3)

पप्रच्छ च कथं भद्रे त्वमेतद्वनमागता । स्फुटं ब्रवीहि वैशालेरपि भार्या सुशर्मणः ॥ 70.3 ॥

papraccha ca kathaṁ bhadre tvametadvanamāgatā sphuṭaṁ bravīhi vaiśālerapi bhāryā suśarmaṇaḥ

He asked her: 'O gracious lady, how have you come to this forest? Tell me clearly — are you the wife of Sushrama of Vaishali?'

Verse 4 (markandeya.70.4)

ब्राह्मण्युवाच सुताहमतिरात्रस्य द्विजस्य वनवासिनः । पत्नी विशालपुत्रस्य यस्य नाम त्वयोदितम् ॥ 70.4 ॥

brāhmaṇyuvāca sutāhamatirātrasya dvijasya vanavāsinaḥ patnī viśālaputrasya yasya nāma tvayoditam

The brahmana’s wife said: I am the daughter of Atiratra, a forest-dwelling brahmana, and the wife of the son of Vishala, whose name you have spoken.

Verse 5 (markandeya.70.5)

साहं हृता बलाकेन राक्षसेन दुरात्मना । प्रसुप्ता भवनस्यान्ते भ्रातृमातृवियोजिता ॥ 70.5 ॥

sāhaṁ hṛtā balākena rākṣasena durātmanā prasuptā bhavanasyānte bhrātṛmātṛviyojitā

I am the very one carried off by that evil-souled Rakshasa Balaka, while asleep within my own house, and thus severed from my mother and brothers.

Verse 6 (markandeya.70.6)

भस्मीभवतु तद्रक्षो येनास्म्येवं वियोजिता । मात्रा भ्रातृभिरन्यैश्च तिष्टाम्यत्र सुदुःखिता ॥ 70.6 ॥

bhasmībhavatu tadrakṣo yenāsmyevaṁ viyojitā mātrā bhrātṛbhiranyaiśca tiṣṭāmyatra suduḥkhitā

May that Rakshasa be reduced to ashes, who has thus parted me from my mother, my brothers, and all others; here I remain, in the depths of misery.

Verse 7 (markandeya.70.7)

अस्मिन् वनेऽतिगहने तेनानीयाहमुज्झिता । न वेद्मि कारणं कि तन्नोपभुङ्क्ते न खादति ॥ 70.7 ॥

asmin vane’tigahane tenānīyāhamujjhitā na vedmi kāraṇaṁ ki tannopabhuṅkte na khādati

He brought me to this dense forest and left me here; I do not know the reason why he neither takes me for pleasure nor devours me.

Verse 8 (markandeya.70.8)

राजोवाच अपि तज्ज्ञायते रक्षस्त्वामुत्सृज्य क्व वै गतम् । अहं भर्त्रा तवैवात्र प्रेषितो द्विजनन्दिनि ॥ 70.8 ॥

rājovāca api tajjñāyate rakṣastvāmutsṛjya kva vai gatam ahaṁ bhartrā tavaivātra preṣito dvijanandini

The king said: Do you know where that Rakshasa has gone, having left you here? O daughter of a brahmana, I have been sent here by your own husband.

Verse 9 (markandeya.70.9)

ब्राह्मण्युवाच अस्यैव काननस्यान्ते स तिष्ठति निशाचरः । प्रविश्य पश्यतु भवान् न बिभेति ततो यदि ॥ 70.9 ॥

brāhmaṇyuvāca asyaiva kānanasyānte sa tiṣṭhati niśācaraḥ praviśya paśyatu bhavān na bibheti tato yadi

The brahmana’s wife said: That night-wanderer dwells at the very edge of this forest; if you are not afraid, you may go in and see him.

Verse 10 (markandeya.70.10)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच प्रविवेश ततः सोऽथ तया वर्त्मनि दर्शिते । ददृशे परिवारेण समवेतञ्च राक्षसम् ॥ 70.10 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca praviveśa tataḥ so’tha tayā vartmani darśite dadṛśe parivāreṇa samavetañca rākṣasam

Markandeya said: Then, along the path she had shown him, he went in, and beheld the Rakshasa there, gathered together with his own retinue.

Verse 11 (markandeya.70.11)

दृष्टमात्रे ततस्तस्मिन् त्वरमाणः स राक्षसः । दूरादेव महीं मूर्ध्ना स्पृशन् पादान्तिकं ययौ ॥ 70.11 ॥

dṛṣṭamātre tatastasmin tvaramāṇaḥ sa rākṣasaḥ dūrādeva mahīṁ mūrdhnā spṛśan pādāntikaṁ yayau

The moment he saw him, that Rakshasa hastened forward, touching the ground with his head even from a distance, and came right up to his feet.

Verse 12 (markandeya.70.12)

राक्षस उवाच ममात्रागच्छता गेहं प्रसादस्ते महान् कृतः । प्रशाधि किं करोम्येष वसामि विषये तव ॥ 70.12 ॥

rākṣasa uvāca mamātrāgacchatā gehaṁ prasādaste mahān kṛtaḥ praśādhi kiṁ karomyeṣa vasāmi viṣaye tava

The Rakshasa said: By coming to my dwelling, you have shown me a great favor; command me — what shall I do? I dwell within your own domain.

Verse 13 (markandeya.70.13)

अर्घञ्चेमं प्रतीच्छ त्वं स्थीयताञ्चेदमासनम् । वयं भृत्या भवान् स्वामी दृढमाज्ञापयस्व माम् ॥ 70.13 ॥

arghañcemaṁ pratīccha tvaṁ sthīyatāñcedamāsanam vayaṁ bhṛtyā bhavān svāmī dṛḍhamājñāpayasva mām

Accept this guest-offering, and be seated upon this seat; we are your servants, you are our master — command me firmly.

Verse 14 (markandeya.70.14)

राजोवाच कृतमेव त्वया सर्वं सर्वामेवातिथिक्रियाम् । किमर्थं ब्राह्मणवधूस्त्वयानीता निशाचर ॥ 70.14 ॥

rājovāca kṛtameva tvayā sarvaṁ sarvāmevātithikriyām kimarthaṁ brāhmaṇavadhūstvayānītā niśācara

The king said: You have indeed fulfilled every duty of hospitality toward me. O night-wanderer, for what purpose did you carry off that brahmana’s wife?

Verse 15 (markandeya.70.15)

नेयं सुरूपा सन्त्यन्या भार्यार्थञ्चेद् हृता त्वया । भक्ष्यार्थं चेत्कथं नात्ता त्वयैतत्कथ्यतां मम ॥ 70.15 ॥

neyaṁ surūpā santyanyā bhāryārthañced hṛtā tvayā bhakṣyārthaṁ cetkathaṁ nāttā tvayaitatkathyatāṁ mama

She is not especially beautiful, and there are other women besides — if it was to make her your wife, why her? And if it was for food, why have you not eaten her? Tell me this.

Verse 16 (markandeya.70.16)

राक्षस उवाच न वयं मानुषाहारा अन्ये ते नृप राक्षसाः । सुकृतस्य फलं यत्तु तदश्नीमो वयं नृप ॥ 70.16 ॥

rākṣasa uvāca na vayaṁ mānuṣāhārā anye te nṛpa rākṣasāḥ sukṛtasya phalaṁ yattu tadaśnīmo vayaṁ nṛpa

The Rakshasa said: We are not eaters of men, O king — those are other Rakshasas; we, O king, feed only upon the fruit of virtuous deeds.

Verse 17 (markandeya.70.17)

स्वभावञ्च मनुष्याणां योषिताञ्च विमानिताः । मानिताश्च समश्नीमो न वयं जन्तुखादकाः ॥ 70.17 ॥

svabhāvañca manuṣyāṇāṁ yoṣitāñca vimānitāḥ mānitāśca samaśnīmo na vayaṁ jantukhādakāḥ

We feed upon the very nature of men and women, whether dishonored or honored; we are not devourers of living creatures.

Verse 18 (markandeya.70.18)

यदस्माभिर्नृणां क्षान्तिर्भुक्ता क्रुध्यन्ति ते तदा । भुक्ते दुष्टे स्वभावे च गुणवन्तो भवन्ति च ॥ 70.18 ॥

yadasmābhirnṛṇāṁ kṣāntirbhuktā krudhyanti te tadā bhukte duṣṭe svabhāve ca guṇavanto bhavanti ca

When we have consumed a man's forbearance, he grows quick to anger; and when his evil nature has been eaten away, he becomes virtuous.

Verse 19 (markandeya.70.19)

सन्ति नः प्रमदा भूप रूपेणाप्सरसां समाः । राक्षस्यस्तासु तिष्ठत्सु मानुषीषु रतिः कथम् ॥ 70.19 ॥

santi naḥ pramadā bhūpa rūpeṇāpsarasāṁ samāḥ rākṣasyastāsu tiṣṭhatsu mānuṣīṣu ratiḥ katham

O king, we have women of our own, Rakshasis equal in beauty to the Apsaras — while they exist, how could we take delight in human women?

Verse 20 (markandeya.70.20)

राजोवाच यद्येषा नोपभोगाय नाहाराय निशाचर । गृहं प्रविश्य विप्रस्य तत्किमेषा हृता त्वया ॥ 70.20 ॥

rājovāca yadyeṣā nopabhogāya nāhārāya niśācara gṛhaṁ praviśya viprasya tatkimeṣā hṛtā tvayā

The king said: O night-wanderer, if it was neither for pleasure nor for food, then why did you enter that brahmana's house and carry her off?

Verse 21 (markandeya.70.21)

राक्षस उवाच मन्त्रवित् स द्विजश्रेष्ठो यज्ञे यज्ञे गतस्य मे । रक्षोघ्नमन्त्रपठनात् करोत्युच्चाटनं नृप ॥ 70.21 ॥

rākṣasa uvāca mantravit sa dvijaśreṣṭho yajñe yajñe gatasya me rakṣoghnamantrapaṭhanāt karotyuccāṭanaṁ nṛpa

The Rakshasa said: That brahmana, foremost knower of mantras, wherever I go to partake of a sacrifice, drives me away by the recitation of Rakshasa-destroying mantras, O king.

Verse 22 (markandeya.70.22)

वयं बुभुक्षितास्तस्य मन्त्रोच्चाटनकर्मणा । क्व यामः सर्वयज्ञेषु स ऋत्विग् भवति द्विजः ॥ 70.22 ॥

vayaṁ bubhukṣitāstasya mantroccāṭanakarmaṇā kva yāmaḥ sarvayajñeṣu sa ṛtvig bhavati dvijaḥ

By his mantra-driven expulsion we are left hungry; where are we to go, when that brahmana officiates as priest at every sacrifice?

Verse 23 (markandeya.70.23)

ततोऽस्माभिरिदन्तस्य वैकल्यमुपपादितम् । पत्न्या विना पुमानिज्याकर्मयोग्यो न जायते ॥ 70.23 ॥

tato’smābhiridantasya vaikalyamupapāditam patnyā vinā pumānijyākarmayogyo na jāyate

Therefore we contrived this disability for him — for without a wife, a man is not fit to perform sacrificial rites.

Verse 24 (markandeya.70.24)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच वैकल्योच्चारणात्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्य महामतेः । ततः स राजातिभृशं विषण्णः समजायत ॥ 70.24 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca vaikalyoccāraṇāttasya brāhmaṇasya mahāmateḥ tataḥ sa rājātibhṛśaṁ viṣaṇṇaḥ samajāyata

Markandeya said: On hearing this account of the great-minded brahmana's disability, the king became exceedingly distressed.

Verse 25 (markandeya.70.25)

वैकल्यमेवं विप्रस्य वदन्मामेव निन्दति । अनर्हमर्घस्य च मां सोऽप्याह मुनिसत्तमः ॥ 70.25 ॥

vaikalyamevaṁ viprasya vadanmāmeva nindati anarhamarghasya ca māṁ so’pyāha munisattamaḥ

In thus describing the brahmana's helplessness, it is as though he censures me directly — for that foremost of sages too had called me unworthy of the guest-offering.

Verse 26 (markandeya.70.26)

वैकल्यं तस्य विप्रस्य राक्षसोऽप्याह मे यथा । अपत्नीकतया सोऽहं सङ्कटं महदास्थितः ॥ 70.26 ॥

vaikalyaṁ tasya viprasya rākṣaso’pyāha me yathā apatnīkatayā so’haṁ saṅkaṭaṁ mahadāsthitaḥ

Just as this Rakshasa too has told me of that brahmana's plight, so, being without a wife, he stands beset by a great calamity.

Verse 27 (markandeya.70.27)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य पुनरप्याह राक्षसः । प्रणामनम्रो राजानं बद्धाञ्जलिपुटो मुने ॥ 70.27 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca evaṁ cintayatastasya punarapyāha rākṣasaḥ praṇāmanamro rājānaṁ baddhāñjalipuṭo mune

Markandeya said: O sage, while he was thus reflecting, the Rakshasa spoke again, bowing low in salutation to the king, his palms joined together.

Verse 28 (markandeya.70.28)

नरेन्द्राज्ञाप्रदानेन प्रसादः क्रियतां मम । भृत्यस्य प्रणतस्य त्वं युष्मद्विषयवासिनः ॥ 70.28 ॥

narendrājñāpradānena prasādaḥ kriyatāṁ mama bhṛtyasya praṇatasya tvaṁ yuṣmadviṣayavāsinaḥ

O lord of men, show favor to me, your servant, bowing before you and dwelling within your own domain, by granting me your command.

Verse 29 (markandeya.70.29)

राजोवाच स्वभावं वयमश्नीमस्त्वयोक्तं यन्निशाचर । तदर्थिनो वयं येन कार्येण शृणु तन्मम ॥ 70.29 ॥

rājovāca svabhāvaṁ vayamaśnīmastvayoktaṁ yanniśācara tadarthino vayaṁ yena kāryeṇa śṛṇu tanmama

The king said: O night-wanderer, what you said — that you feed upon a man's very nature — is exactly what we desire; hear from me now the task for which we make our request.

Verse 30 (markandeya.70.30)

अस्यास्त्वयाद्य ब्राह्मण्या दौः शील्यमुपभुज्यताम् । येन त्वयात्तदौः शील्या तद्विनीता भवेदियम् ॥ 70.30 ॥

asyāstvayādya brāhmaṇyā dauḥ śīlyamupabhujyatām yena tvayāttadauḥ śīlyā tadvinītā bhavediyam

Feed today upon the ill nature of this brahmana’s wife, so that, once you have consumed her harshness, she may become gentle and well-behaved.

Verse 31 (markandeya.70.31)

नीयतां यस्य भार्येयं तस्य वेश्म निशाचर । अस्मिन् कृते कृतं सर्वं गृहमभ्यागतस्य मे ॥ 70.31 ॥

nīyatāṁ yasya bhāryeyaṁ tasya veśma niśācara asmin kṛte kṛtaṁ sarvaṁ gṛhamabhyāgatasya me

O night-wanderer, take her to the house of the man whose wife she is; once this is done, everything owed to me, a guest in your dwelling, will have been fulfilled.

Verse 32 (markandeya.70.32)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स राक्षसस्तस्याः प्रविश्यान्तः स्वमायया । भक्षयामास दौः शील्यं निजशक्त्या नृपाज्ञया ॥ 70.32 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tataḥ sa rākṣasastasyāḥ praviśyāntaḥ svamāyayā bhakṣayāmāsa dauḥ śīlyaṁ nijaśaktyā nṛpājñayā

Markandeya said: Then that Rakshasa, entering within her by his own magical power, devoured her harsh nature by his own strength, at the king's command.

Verse 33 (markandeya.70.33)

दौः शील्येनातिरौद्रेण पत्नी तस्य द्विजन्मनः । तेन सा संपरित्यक्ता तमाह जगतीपतिम् ॥ 70.33 ॥

dauḥ śīlyenātiraudreṇa patnī tasya dvijanmanaḥ tena sā saṁparityaktā tamāha jagatīpatim

That brahmana's wife, who had been possessed of a most terrible ill nature, now freed of it by him, spoke thus to that lord of the earth.

Verse 34 (markandeya.70.34)

स्वकर्मफलपाकेन भर्तुस्तस्य महात्मनः । वियोजिताहं तद्धेतुरयमासीन्निशाचरः ॥ 70.34 ॥

svakarmaphalapākena bhartustasya mahātmanaḥ viyojitāhaṁ taddheturayamāsīnniśācaraḥ

It was by the ripening of the fruit of my own past deeds that I was severed from that great-souled husband of mine; this night-wanderer was but the instrument of it.

Verse 35 (markandeya.70.35)

नास्य दोषो न वा तस्य मम भर्तुर्महात्मनः । ममैव दोषो नान्यस्य सुकृतं ह्युपभुज्यते ॥ 70.35 ॥

nāsya doṣo na vā tasya mama bharturmahātmanaḥ mamaiva doṣo nānyasya sukṛtaṁ hyupabhujyate

The fault lies neither with him nor with my great-souled husband; the fault is mine alone, for it is one's own good deeds that one enjoys, and no other's.

Verse 36 (markandeya.70.36)

अन्यजन्मनि कस्यापि विप्रयोगः कृतो मया । सोऽयं ममाप्युपगतः को दोषोऽस्य महात्मनः ॥ 70.36 ॥

anyajanmani kasyāpi viprayogaḥ kṛto mayā so’yaṁ mamāpyupagataḥ ko doṣo’sya mahātmanaḥ

In some other life I must have caused separation for someone; that very thing has now come upon me — what fault, then, is there in this great one?

Verse 37 (markandeya.70.37)

राक्षस उवाच प्रापयामि तवादेशादिमां भर्तृगृहं प्रभो । यदन्यत्करणीयन्ते तदाज्ञापय पार्थिव ॥ 70.37 ॥

rākṣasa uvāca prāpayāmi tavādeśādimāṁ bhartṛgṛhaṁ prabho yadanyatkaraṇīyante tadājñāpaya pārthiva

The Rakshasa said: O lord, at your command I shall now convey her to her husband’s house; O king, if there is any other task to be done, command me.

Verse 38 (markandeya.70.38)

राजोवाच अस्मिन् कृते कृतं सर्वं त्वया मे रजनीचर । आगन्तव्यञ्च ते वीर कार्यकाले स्मृतेन मे ॥ 70.38 ॥

rājovāca asmin kṛte kṛtaṁ sarvaṁ tvayā me rajanīcara āgantavyañca te vīra kāryakāle smṛtena me

The king said: O wanderer of the night, in doing this you have accomplished everything I asked of you; and, O hero, when the need arises, you must come whenever I call upon you.

Verse 39 (markandeya.70.39)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच नथेत्युक्त्वा तु तद्रक्षस्तामादाय द्विजाङ्गनाम् । निन्ये भर्तृगृहं शुद्धां दौः शोल्यापगमात्तदा ॥ 70.39 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca nathetyuktvā tu tadrakṣastāmādāya dvijāṅganām ninye bhartṛgṛhaṁ śuddhāṁ dauḥ śolyāpagamāttadā

Markandeya said: Saying, 'So be it,' that Rakshasa took the brahmana's wife with him, and, she now purified by the departure of her ill nature, brought her to her husband's house.