The Queen in the Netherworld

Verse 1 (markandeya.71.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच तां प्रेषयित्वा राजापि स्वभर्तृगृहमङ्गनाम् । चिन्तयामास निः श्वस्य किमत्र सुकतं भवेत् ॥ 71.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tāṁ preṣayitvā rājāpi svabhartṛgṛhamaṅganām cintayāmāsa niḥ śvasya kimatra sukataṁ bhavet

Having sent that woman to her husband's house, the king too sighed deeply and pondered: what would be the right course here?

Verse 2 (markandeya.71.2)

अनर्घयोग्यता कष्टं स मामाह महामनाः । वैकल्यं विप्रमुद्दिश्य तथाहायं निशाचरः ॥ 71.2 ॥

anarghayogyatā kaṣṭaṁ sa māmāha mahāmanāḥ vaikalyaṁ vipramuddiśya tathāhāyaṁ niśācaraḥ

"This is a hard and precious virtue indeed," that great-minded night-wanderer had said to me, pointing to the Brahmin woman's distress.

Verse 3 (markandeya.71.3)

सोऽहं कथं करिष्यामि त्यक्ता पत्नी मया हि सा । अथवा ज्ञानदृष्टिं तं पृच्छामि मुनिसत्तमम् ॥ 71.3 ॥

so'haṁ kathaṁ kariṣyāmi tyaktā patnī mayā hi sā athavā jñānadṛṣṭiṁ taṁ pṛcchāmi munisattamam

What then should I do, I who have myself abandoned my own wife? Or rather, let me go and ask that best of sages, the knower of past, present and future.

Verse 4 (markandeya.71.4)

सञ्चिन्त्येत्थं स भूपालः समारुह्य च तं रथम् । ययौ यत्र स धर्मात्मा त्रिकालज्ञो महामिनिः ॥ 71.4 ॥

sañcintyetthaṁ sa bhūpālaḥ samāruhya ca taṁ ratham yayau yatra sa dharmātmā trikālajño mahāminiḥ

Thinking thus, the king mounted his chariot and went to where that righteous, all-knowing great sage dwelt.

Verse 5 (markandeya.71.5)

अवरुह्य रथात् सोऽथ तं समेत्य प्रणम्य च । यथावृत्तं समाचख्यौ राक्षसेन समागमम् ॥ 71.5 ॥

avaruhya rathāt so'tha taṁ sametya praṇamya ca yathāvṛttaṁ samācakhyau rākṣasena samāgamam

Getting down from the chariot, approaching him and bowing, he related in full, just as it had happened, his encounter with the rakshasa.

Verse 6 (markandeya.71.6)

ब्राह्मण्या दर्शनञ्चैव दौः शील्यापगमं तथा । प्रेषणं भर्तृगेहे च कार्यमागमने च यत् ॥ 71.6 ॥

brāhmaṇyā darśanañcaiva dauḥ śīlyāpagamaṁ tathā preṣaṇaṁ bhartṛgehe ca kāryamāgamane ca yat

Seeing the Brahmin woman, the removal of her ill temper, her being sent back to her husband's house, and the whole purpose of his coming — all this he related.

Verse 7 (markandeya.71.7)

ऋषिरुवाच ज्ञातमेतन्मया पूर्वं यत् कृतन्ते नराधिप । कार्यमागमने चैव मत्समीपे तवाखिलम् ॥ 71.7 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca jñātametanmayā pūrvaṁ yat kṛtante narādhipa kāryamāgamane caiva matsamīpe tavākhilam

The sage said: O lord of men, all that you have done was already known to me beforehand, and the purpose of your coming too was fully known to me even before you approached.

Verse 8 (markandeya.71.8)

पृच्छ मामिह किं कार्यं मयेत्युद्विग्नमानसः । त्वय्यागते महीपाल ! शृणु कार्यञ्च यत्त्वया ॥ 71.8 ॥

pṛccha māmiha kiṁ kāryaṁ mayetyudvignamānasaḥ tvayyāgate mahīpāla ! śṛṇu kāryañca yattvayā

Do not trouble your mind wondering, "What must I ask of him here?" O king, now that you have come, hear what your duty is.

Verse 9 (markandeya.71.9)

पत्नी धर्मार्थकामानां कारणं प्रबलं नृणाम् । विशेषतश्च धर्मस्य सन्त्यक्तस्त्यजता हि ताम् ॥ 71.9 ॥

patnī dharmārthakāmānāṁ kāraṇaṁ prabalaṁ nṛṇām viśeṣataśca dharmasya santyaktastyajatā hi tām

A wife is the powerful foundation of dharma, artha and kama for men — especially of dharma; whoever forsakes her should be regarded as forsaken by her in turn.

Verse 10 (markandeya.71.10)

अपत्नीको नरो भूप ! न योग्यो निजकर्मणाम् । ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वापि वैश्यः शूद्रोऽपि वा नृप ॥ 71.10 ॥

apatnīko naro bhūpa ! na yogyo nijakarmaṇām brāhmaṇaḥ kṣatriyo vāpi vaiśyaḥ śūdro'pi vā nṛpa

O king, a man without a wife is unfit for his own prescribed duties — be he a Brahmin, a Kshatriya, a Vaishya, or even a Shudra.

Verse 11 (markandeya.71.11)

त्यजता भवता पत्नीं न शोभनमनुष्ठितम् । अत्याज्यो हि यथा भर्ता स्त्रीणां भर्या तथा नृणाम् ॥ 71.11 ॥

tyajatā bhavatā patnīṁ na śobhanamanuṣṭhitam atyājyo hi yathā bhartā strīṇāṁ bharyā tathā nṛṇām

In forsaking your wife you have not done well; just as a husband is not to be abandoned by a woman, so a wife is not to be abandoned by a man.

Verse 12 (markandeya.71.12)

राजोवाच भगवन् ! किं करोम्येष विपाको मम कर्मणाम् । नानुकूलानुकूलस्य यस्मात्त्यक्ता ततो मया ॥ 71.12 ॥

rājovāca bhagavan ! kiṁ karomyeṣa vipāko mama karmaṇām nānukūlānukūlasya yasmāttyaktā tato mayā

The king said: O venerable one, what am I to do — this is but the ripening of my own past deeds; since she was not favorably disposed toward me, I forsook her.

Verse 13 (markandeya.71.13)

यद्यत्करोति तत् क्षान्तं दह्यमानेन चेतसा । भगवंस्तद्वियोगार्तिबिभीतेनान्तरात्मना ॥ 71.13 ॥

yadyatkaroti tat kṣāntaṁ dahyamānena cetasā bhagavaṁstadviyogārtibibhītenāntarātmanā

Whatever she did, I endured it with a burning heart, O venerable one, my inner soul fearful of the pain of separation from her.

Verse 14 (markandeya.71.14)

साम्प्रतं तु वने त्यक्ता न वेद्मि क्व नु सा गता । भक्षिता वापि विपिने सिंहव्याघ्रनिशाचरैः ॥ 71.14 ॥

sāmprataṁ tu vane tyaktā na vedmi kva nu sā gatā bhakṣitā vāpi vipine siṁhavyāghraniśācaraiḥ

Now, abandoned in the forest, I do not know where she has gone; perhaps she has been devoured in the wilderness by lions, tigers, or rakshasas.

Verse 15 (markandeya.71.15)

ऋषीरुवाच न भक्षिता सा भूपाल ! सिहव्याघ्रनिशाचरैः । सा त्वविप्लुतचारित्रा साम्प्रतन्तु रसातले ॥ 71.15 ॥

ṛṣīruvāca na bhakṣitā sā bhūpāla ! sihavyāghraniśācaraiḥ sā tvaviplutacāritrā sāmpratantu rasātale

The sage said: O king, she has not been devoured by lion, tiger, or rakshasa; her character remains unblemished — at present she is in Rasatala, the netherworld.

Verse 16 (markandeya.71.16)

राजोवाच सा नीता केन पातालमास्ते सादूषिता कथम् । अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन् ! यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ 71.16 ॥

rājovāca sā nītā kena pātālamāste sādūṣitā katham atyadbhutamidaṁ brahman ! yathāvadvaktumarhasi

The king said: Who took her to the netherworld, and how was she dishonored? O Brahmin, this is most wondrous — please tell me exactly as it happened.

Verse 17 (markandeya.71.17)

ऋषिरुवाच पाताले नागराजोऽस्ति प्रख्यातश्च कपोतकः । तेन दृष्टा त्वया त्यक्ता भ्रममाणा महावने ॥ 71.17 ॥

ṛṣiruvāca pātāle nāgarājo'sti prakhyātaśca kapotakaḥ tena dṛṣṭā tvayā tyaktā bhramamāṇā mahāvane

The sage said: In the netherworld there is a renowned serpent-king named Kapotaka; he beheld her, abandoned by you and wandering distraught in the great forest.

Verse 18 (markandeya.71.18)

सा रूपशालिनी तेन सानुरागेण पार्थिव । वेदितार्थेन पातालं नीता सा युवती तदा ॥ 71.18 ॥

sā rūpaśālinī tena sānurāgeṇa pārthiva veditārthena pātālaṁ nītā sā yuvatī tadā

O king, being beautiful, out of passion for her, and understanding all that had happened, he took the young woman down to the netherworld then and there.

Verse 19 (markandeya.71.19)

ततस्तस्य सुता सुभ्रूर्नन्दा नाम महीपते । भार्या मनोरमा चास्य नागराजस्य धीमतः ॥ 71.19 ॥

tatastasya sutā subhrūrnandā nāma mahīpate bhāryā manoramā cāsya nāgarājasya dhīmataḥ

Then, O king, that wise serpent-king's fair-browed daughter Nanda, and his wife Manorama —

Verse 20 (markandeya.71.20)

तया मातुः सपत्नीयं सा भवित्रीति शोभना । दृष्टा स्वगेहं सा नीता गुप्ता चान्तः पुरे शुभा ॥ 71.20 ॥

tayā mātuḥ sapatnīyaṁ sā bhavitrīti śobhanā dṛṣṭā svagehaṁ sā nītā guptā cāntaḥ pure śubhā

Nanda, seeing that lovely woman, thought she would become her mother's co-wife; the beautiful one was then brought into their home and kept guarded within the inner apartments.

Verse 21 (markandeya.71.21)

यदा तु याचिता नन्दा न ददाति नृपोत्तरम् । मूका भविष्यसीत्याह तदा तां तनयां पिता ॥ 71.21 ॥

yadā tu yācitā nandā na dadāti nṛpottaram mūkā bhaviṣyasītyāha tadā tāṁ tanayāṁ pitā

When that father begged his daughter Nanda [for consent], and she gave him no answer, he then cursed his own daughter: "You shall become mute."

Verse 22 (markandeya.71.22)

एवं शप्ता सुता तेन सा चास्ते तत्र भूपते । नीता तेनोरगेन्द्रेण धृता तत्सुतया सती ॥ 71.22 ॥

evaṁ śaptā sutā tena sā cāste tatra bhūpate nītā tenoragendreṇa dhṛtā tatsutayā satī

O king, thus cursed, the daughter remained there; and your faithful wife, taken there by that serpent-lord, was kept guarded by his very daughter.

Verse 23 (markandeya.71.23)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततो राजा परं हर्षमवाप्य तमपृच्छत । द्विजवर्यं स्वदौर्भाग्यकारणं दयितां प्रति ॥ 71.23 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tato rājā paraṁ harṣamavāpya tamapṛcchata dvijavaryaṁ svadaurbhāgyakāraṇaṁ dayitāṁ prati

Markandeya said: Then the king, filled with great joy, asked that best of Brahmins the cause of his own misfortune regarding his beloved wife.

Verse 24 (markandeya.71.24)

राजोवाच भगवन् ! सर्वलोकस्य मयि प्रीतिरनुत्तमा । किन्नु तत्कारणं येन स्वपत्नी नातिवत्सला ॥ 71.24 ॥

rājovāca bhagavan ! sarvalokasya mayi prītiranuttamā kinnu tatkāraṇaṁ yena svapatnī nātivatsalā

The king said: O venerable one, the whole world holds the highest affection for me — what, then, is the reason that my own wife does not love me deeply?

Verse 25 (markandeya.71.25)

मम चासावतीवेष्टा प्राणेभ्योऽपि महामुने । सा च मां प्रति दुः शीला ब्रूहि यत्कारणं द्विज ॥ 71.25 ॥

mama cāsāvatīveṣṭā prāṇebhyo'pi mahāmune sā ca māṁ prati duḥ śīlā brūhi yatkāraṇaṁ dvija

O great sage, she is dearer to me than my own life, and yet she is ill-disposed toward me — tell me the reason, O Brahmin.

Verse 26 (markandeya.71.26)

ऋषीरुवाच पाणिग्रहणकाले त्वं सूर्यभौमशनैश्चरैः । शुक्रवाचस्पतिभ्याञ्च तव भार्यावलोकिता ॥ 71.26 ॥

ṛṣīruvāca pāṇigrahaṇakāle tvaṁ sūryabhaumaśanaiścaraiḥ śukravācaspatibhyāñca tava bhāryāvalokitā

The sage said: At the time of your marriage, your bride was under the aspect of the Sun, Mars and Saturn, together with Venus and Jupiter.

Verse 27 (markandeya.71.27)

तन्मुहूर्तेऽभवच्चन्द्रस्तस्याः सोमसुतस्तथा । परस्परविपक्षौ तौ ततः पार्थिव ! ते भृशम् ॥ 71.27 ॥

tanmuhūrte'bhavaccandrastasyāḥ somasutastathā parasparavipakṣau tau tataḥ pārthiva ! te bhṛśam

At that muhurta, the Moon and Mercury, the moon's son, stood in mutual opposition to one another; therefore, O king, great discord has persisted between the two of you.

Verse 28 (markandeya.71.28)

तद्गच्छ त्वं स्वधर्मेण परिपालय मेदिनीम् । पत्नीसहायः सर्वाश्च कुरु धर्मवतीः क्रियाः ॥ 71.28 ॥

tadgaccha tvaṁ svadharmeṇa paripālaya medinīm patnīsahāyaḥ sarvāśca kuru dharmavatīḥ kriyāḥ

So go now, and govern the earth according to your own duty; with your wife as your helpmate, perform all your righteous rites.

Verse 29 (markandeya.71.29)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्ते प्रणिपत्यैनमारुह्य स्यन्दनं ततः । उत्तमः पृथिवीपाल आजगाम निजं पुरम् ॥ 71.29 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityukte praṇipatyainamāruhya syandanaṁ tataḥ uttamaḥ pṛthivīpāla ājagāma nijaṁ puram

Markandeya said: Hearing this, that excellent king bowed to him, then mounted his chariot and returned to his own city.