The Birth of Manu Auttama

Verse 1 (markandeya.72.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स्वनगरं प्राप्य तं ददर्श द्विजं नृपः । समेतं भार्यया चैव शीलवत्या मुदान्वितम् ॥ 72.1 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tataḥ svanagaraṁ prāpya taṁ dadarśa dvijaṁ nṛpaḥ sametaṁ bhāryayā caiva śīlavatyā mudānvitam

Markandeya said: Then, having reached his own city, the king saw that Brahmin, joyful, united with his virtuous wife.

Verse 2 (markandeya.72.2)

ब्राह्मण उवाच राजवर्य ! कृतार्थोऽस्मि यतो धर्मो हि रक्षितः । धर्मज्ञनेह भवता भार्यामानयता मम ॥ 72.2 ॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca rājavarya ! kṛtārtho'smi yato dharmo hi rakṣitaḥ dharmajñaneha bhavatā bhāryāmānayatā mama

The Brahmin said: O best of kings, I am fulfilled, for dharma has been protected; you, knowing dharma, have done me good by bringing my wife back here.

Verse 3 (markandeya.72.3)

राजोवाच कृतार्थस्त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ ! निजधर्मानुपालनात् । वयं सङ्कटिनो विप्र ! येषां पत्नी न वेश्मनि ॥ 72.3 ॥

rājovāca kṛtārthastvaṁ dvijaśreṣṭha ! nijadharmānupālanāt vayaṁ saṅkaṭino vipra ! yeṣāṁ patnī na veśmani

The king said: O best of Brahmins, you are fulfilled through the keeping of your own duty; but we, O Brahmin, are in distress, we whose wife is not in our house.

Verse 4 (markandeya.72.4)

ब्राह्मण उवाच नरेन्द्र ! सा हि विपिने भक्षिता श्वनापदैर्यदि । अलन्तया किमन्यस्या न पाणिर्गृह्यते त्वया । क्रोधस्य वशमागम्य धर्मो न रक्षितस्त्वया ॥ 72.4 ॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca narendra ! sā hi vipine bhakṣitā śvanāpadairyadi alantayā kimanyasyā na pāṇirgṛhyate tvayā krodhasya vaśamāgamya dharmo na rakṣitastvayā

The Brahmin said: O lord of men, had she indeed been devoured by wild beasts in the forest, would you not have taken another woman's hand? Yielding to anger, you have not protected dharma.

Verse 5 (markandeya.72.5)

राजोवाच न भक्षिता मे दयिता श्वापदैः सा हि जीवति । अविदूषितचारित्रा कथमेतत्करोम्यहम् ॥ 72.5 ॥

rājovāca na bhakṣitā me dayitā śvāpadaiḥ sā hi jīvati avidūṣitacāritrā kathametatkaromyaham

The king said: My beloved was not devoured by wild beasts — she lives, and her character is unblemished; how then could I do such a thing?

Verse 6 (markandeya.72.6)

ब्राह्मण उवाच यदि जीवति ते भार्या न चैव व्यभिचारिणी । तदपत्नीकताजन्म किं पापं क्रियते त्वया ॥ 72.6 ॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca yadi jīvati te bhāryā na caiva vyabhicāriṇī tadapatnīkatājanma kiṁ pāpaṁ kriyate tvayā

The Brahmin said: If your wife is alive, and unfaithful she is not, then what sin do you commit by remaining without her?

Verse 7 (markandeya.72.7)

राजोवाच आनीतापि हि सा विप्र ! प्रतिकूला सदैव मे । दुः खाय न सुखायालं तस्या मैत्री न वै मयि । तथा त्वं कुरु यत्नं मे यथा सा वशगामिनी ॥ 72.7 ॥

rājovāca ānītāpi hi sā vipra ! pratikūlā sadaiva me duḥ khāya na sukhāyālaṁ tasyā maitrī na vai mayi tathā tvaṁ kuru yatnaṁ me yathā sā vaśagāminī

The king said: O Brahmin, even if she is brought back she is ever hostile to me; it brings me only sorrow, not joy — there is no friendship in her toward me. So make some effort that she may become favorably disposed toward me.

Verse 8 (markandeya.72.8)

ब्राह्मण उवाच तव संप्रीतये तस्या वरेष्टिरुपकारिणी । क्रियते मित्रकामैर्या मित्रविन्दां करोमि ताम् ॥ 72.8 ॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca tava saṁprītaye tasyā vareṣṭirupakāriṇī kriyate mitrakāmairyā mitravindāṁ karomi tām

The Brahmin said: For your happiness, I shall perform the beneficial Vareshti rite, the one performed by those who desire friendship — through it I shall make her one who finds friendship.

Verse 9 (markandeya.72.9)

अप्रीतयोः प्रीतिकरो सा हि संजननी परम् । भार्यापत्योर्मनुष्येन्द्र ! तान्तवेष्टिं करोम्यहम् ॥ 72.9 ॥

aprītayoḥ prītikaro sā hi saṁjananī param bhāryāpatyormanuṣyendra ! tāntaveṣṭiṁ karomyaham

O lord of men, this is the supreme generator of love between two who are estranged from each other; I shall perform this elaborate rite for husband and wife alike.

Verse 10 (markandeya.72.10)

यत्र तिष्ठति सा सुभ्रूस्तव भार्या महीपते । तस्मादानोयतां सा ते परां प्रीतिमुपैष्यति ॥ 72.10 ॥

yatra tiṣṭhati sā subhrūstava bhāryā mahīpate tasmādānoyatāṁ sā te parāṁ prītimupaiṣyati

O king, wherever your fair-browed wife may be, let her be brought from there — through this she shall come to feel the deepest love for you.

Verse 11 (markandeya.72.11)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तः स तु सम्भारानशेषानवनीपतिः । आनिनाय चकारेष्टिं स च तां द्विजसत्तमः ॥ 72.11 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityuktaḥ sa tu sambhārānaśeṣānavanīpatiḥ ānināya cakāreṣṭiṁ sa ca tāṁ dvijasattamaḥ

Markandeya said: Hearing this, the lord of the earth brought all the requisite materials, and that excellent Brahmin performed the rite.

Verse 12 (markandeya.72.12)

सप्तकृत्वः स तु तदा चकारेष्टिं पुनः पुनः । तस्य राज्ञो द्विजश्रेष्ठो भार्यासम्पादनाय वै ॥ 72.12 ॥

saptakṛtvaḥ sa tu tadā cakāreṣṭiṁ punaḥ punaḥ tasya rājño dvijaśreṣṭho bhāryāsampādanāya vai

O best of Brahmins, to bring about the recovery of the king's wife, he performed that rite again and again, seven times over.

Verse 13 (markandeya.72.13)

यदारोपितमैत्रीन्ताममन्यत महामुनिः । स्वभर्तरि तदा विप्रस्तमुवाच नराधिपम् ॥ 72.13 ॥

yadāropitamaitrīntāmamanyata mahāmuniḥ svabhartari tadā viprastamuvāca narādhipam

When that great sage judged that the bond of friendship had been firmly established, that Brahmin then spoke to the king concerning his wife.

Verse 14 (markandeya.72.14)

आनीयतां नरश्रेष्ठ ! या तवेष्टात्मनोऽन्तिकम् । भुङ्क्ष्व भोगांस्तया सार्धं यज यज्ञांस्तथादृतः ॥ 72.14 ॥

ānīyatāṁ naraśreṣṭha ! yā taveṣṭātmano'ntikam bhuṅkṣva bhogāṁstayā sārdhaṁ yaja yajñāṁstathādṛtaḥ

"O best of men, let her who is dear to you be brought to your side; enjoy pleasures with her, and with devotion perform your sacrifices too."

Verse 15 (markandeya.72.15)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इत्युक्तस्तेन विप्रेण भूपालो विस्मितस्तदा । सस्मार तं महावीर्यं सत्यसन्धं निशाचरम् ॥ 72.15 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ityuktastena vipreṇa bhūpālo vismitastadā sasmāra taṁ mahāvīryaṁ satyasandhaṁ niśācaram

Markandeya said: Thus addressed by that Brahmin, the king was astonished, and he remembered that mighty, truth-keeping rakshasa.

Verse 16 (markandeya.72.16)

स्मृतस्तेन तदा सद्यः समुपेत्य नराधिपम् । किं करोमीति सोऽप्याह प्रणिपत्य महामुने ॥ 72.16 ॥

smṛtastena tadā sadyaḥ samupetya narādhipam kiṁ karomīti so'pyāha praṇipatya mahāmune

As soon as he was remembered, that one at once came near the king and, bowing, asked, "What shall I do?"

Verse 17 (markandeya.72.17)

ततस्तेन नरेन्द्रेण विस्तरेण निवेदिते । गत्वा पातालमादाय राजपत्नीमुपाययौ ॥ 72.17 ॥

tatastena narendreṇa vistareṇa nivedite gatvā pātālamādāya rājapatnīmupāyayau

Then, informed at length by that king, he went to the netherworld and returned bringing the king's wife.

Verse 18 (markandeya.72.18)

आनीता चातिहार्देन सा ददर्श तदा पतिम् । उवाच च प्रसीदेति भूयोभूयो मुदान्विता ॥ 72.18 ॥

ānītā cātihārdena sā dadarśa tadā patim uvāca ca prasīdeti bhūyobhūyo mudānvitā

Brought with the utmost warmth, she then beheld her husband and, filled with joy, said again and again, "Be gracious."

Verse 19 (markandeya.72.19)

ततः स राजा रभसा परिष्वज्याह मानिनीम् । प्रिये ! प्रसन्न एवाहं भूयोऽप्येवं ब्रवीषि किम् ॥ 72.19 ॥

tataḥ sa rājā rabhasā pariṣvajyāha māninīm priye ! prasanna evāhaṁ bhūyo'pyevaṁ bravīṣi kim

Then the king, in a rush of feeling, embraced that self-respecting woman and said, "Beloved, I am indeed pleased — why then do you say this again and again?"

Verse 20 (markandeya.72.20)

पत्न्युवाच यदि प्रिसादप्रवणं नरेन्द्र ! मयि ते मनः । तदेतदभियाचे त्वां तत् कुरुष्व ममार्हणम् ॥ 72.20 ॥

patnyuvāca yadi prisādapravaṇaṁ narendra ! mayi te manaḥ tadetadabhiyāce tvāṁ tat kuruṣva mamārhaṇam

The wife said: O king, if your mind is inclined to show me favor, then I beg this of you — grant me this request.

Verse 21 (markandeya.72.21)

राजोवाच निः शङ्कं ब्रूहि मत्तो यद्भवात्या किञ्चिदीप्सितम् । तदलभ्यं न ते भीरु ! तवायत्तोऽस्मि नान्यथा ॥ 72.21 ॥

rājovāca niḥ śaṅkaṁ brūhi matto yadbhavātyā kiñcidīpsitam tadalabhyaṁ na te bhīru ! tavāyatto'smi nānyathā

The king said: Speak without hesitation whatever you desire of me; O timid one, nothing is beyond your reach — I am wholly at your disposal, not otherwise.

Verse 22 (markandeya.72.22)

पत्न्युवाच मदर्थं तेन नागेन सुता शप्ता सखी मम । मूका भविष्यसीत्याह सा च मूकत्वमागता ॥ 72.22 ॥

patnyuvāca madarthaṁ tena nāgena sutā śaptā sakhī mama mūkā bhaviṣyasītyāha sā ca mūkatvamāgatā

The wife said: On my account, that serpent-king cursed his own daughter, my friend — "you shall become mute" — and mute she became.

Verse 23 (markandeya.72.23)

तस्याः प्रतिक्रियां प्रीत्या मम शक्नोति चेद्भवान् । वाग्विघातप्रशान्त्यर्थं ततः किं न कृतं मम ॥ 72.23 ॥

tasyāḥ pratikriyāṁ prītyā mama śaknoti cedbhavān vāgvighātapraśāntyarthaṁ tataḥ kiṁ na kṛtaṁ mama

If, out of love for me, you are able to remedy this for her, [then do so]; to bring peace to that obstruction of her speech, what indeed could not be done for my sake?

Verse 24 (markandeya.72.24)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः स राजा तं विप्रमाहास्मिन् कीदृशी क्रिया । तन्मूकतापनोदाय स च तं प्राह पार्थिवम् ॥ 72.24 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tataḥ sa rājā taṁ vipramāhāsmin kīdṛśī kriyā tanmūkatāpanodāya sa ca taṁ prāha pārthivam

Markandeya said: Then the king asked that Brahmin what rite would be needed to remove her muteness, and he told the king this.

Verse 25 (markandeya.72.25)

ब्राह्मण उवाच भूप ! सारस्वतीमिष्टिं करोमि वचनात्तव । पत्नी तवेयमानृण्यं यातु तद्वाक्प्रवर्तनात् ॥ 72.25 ॥

brāhmaṇa uvāca bhūpa ! sārasvatīmiṣṭiṁ karomi vacanāttava patnī taveyamānṛṇyaṁ yātu tadvākpravartanāt

The Brahmin said: O king, at your bidding I shall perform the Sarasvata rite; through the restoring of her speech, your wife's debt [of promise] shall be discharged.

Verse 26 (markandeya.72.26)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इष्टिं सारस्वतीं चक्रे तदर्थं स द्विजोत्तमः । सारस्वतानि सूक्तानि जजाप च समाहितः ॥ 72.26 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iṣṭiṁ sārasvatīṁ cakre tadarthaṁ sa dvijottamaḥ sārasvatāni sūktāni jajāpa ca samāhitaḥ

Markandeya said: For that purpose that excellent Brahmin performed the Sarasvata rite, and with a focused mind recited the Sarasvata hymns.

Verse 27 (markandeya.72.27)

ततः प्रवृत्तवाक्यान्तां गर्गः प्राह रसातले । उपकारः सखीभर्त्रा कृतोऽयमतिदुष्करः ॥ 72.27 ॥

tataḥ pravṛttavākyāntāṁ gargaḥ prāha rasātale upakāraḥ sakhībhartrā kṛto'yamatiduṣkaraḥ

Then Garga, in the netherworld, said to her whose speech had now begun to flow: "This favor rendered by our friend's husband is exceedingly hard to repay."

Verse 28 (markandeya.72.28)

इत्थं ज्ञानं समासाद्य नन्दा शीघ्रगतिः पुरम् । ततो राज्ञीं परिष्वज्य स्वसखीमुरगात्मजा ॥ 72.28 ॥

itthaṁ jñānaṁ samāsādya nandā śīghragatiḥ puram tato rājñīṁ pariṣvajya svasakhīmuragātmajā

Learning this, the swift-footed Nanda set out for the city, and the serpent-maiden embraced her friend, the queen.

Verse 29 (markandeya.72.29)

तञ्च संस्तूय भूपालं कल्याणोक्त्या पुनः पुनः । उवाच मधुरं नागी कृतासनपरिग्रहा ॥ 72.29 ॥

tañca saṁstūya bhūpālaṁ kalyāṇoktyā punaḥ punaḥ uvāca madhuraṁ nāgī kṛtāsanaparigrahā

Then, praising the king again and again with auspicious words, that serpent-maiden, having taken her seat, spoke sweetly.

Verse 30 (markandeya.72.30)

उपकारः कृतो वीर ! भवता यो ममाधुना । तेनास्म्याकृष्टहृदया यद्ब्रवीमि शृणुष्व तत् ॥ 72.30 ॥

upakāraḥ kṛto vīra ! bhavatā yo mamādhunā tenāsmyākṛṣṭahṛdayā yadbravīmi śṛṇuṣva tat

"O hero, by the favor you have now done me, my heart has been won over; hear what I have to say.

Verse 31 (markandeya.72.31)

तव पुत्रो महावीर्यो भविष्यति नराधिप । तस्माप्रतिहतं चक्रमस्यां भुवि भविष्यति ॥ 72.31 ॥

tava putro mahāvīryo bhaviṣyati narādhipa tasmāpratihataṁ cakramasyāṁ bhuvi bhaviṣyati

O king, your son shall be of great valor, and his rule upon this earth shall remain unopposed.

Verse 32 (markandeya.72.32)

सर्वार्थशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञो धर्मानुष्ठानतत्परः । मन्वन्तरेश्वरो धीमान् ! भविष्यति स वै मनुः ॥ 72.32 ॥

sarvārthaśāstratattvajño dharmānuṣṭhānatatparaḥ manvantareśvaro dhīmān ! bhaviṣyati sa vai manuḥ

Knowing the essence of every science of life's aims, devoted to the practice of dharma, wise — he shall become the lord of a Manvantara, Manu himself."

Verse 33 (markandeya.72.33)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच इति दत्वा वरं तस्मै नागराजसुता ततः । सखीं तां संपरिष्वज्य पातालमगमन्मुने ॥ 72.33 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca iti datvā varaṁ tasmai nāgarājasutā tataḥ sakhīṁ tāṁ saṁpariṣvajya pātālamagamanmune

Markandeya said: Having given him this boon, the serpent-king's daughter embraced her friend and returned to the netherworld, O sage.

Verse 34 (markandeya.72.34)

तत्र तस्य तया सार्धं रमतः पृथिवीपतेः । जगाम कालः सुमहान् प्रजाः पालयतस्तथा ॥ 72.34 ॥

tatra tasya tayā sārdhaṁ ramataḥ pṛthivīpateḥ jagāma kālaḥ sumahān prajāḥ pālayatastathā

There, that lord of the earth, sporting with his wife and governing his subjects, saw a great span of time pass by.

Verse 35 (markandeya.72.35)

ततः स तस्यान्तनयो जज्ञे राज्ञो महात्मनः । पौर्णमास्यां यथा कान्तश्चन्द्रः संपूर्णमण्डलः ॥ 72.35 ॥

tataḥ sa tasyāntanayo jajñe rājño mahātmanaḥ paurṇamāsyāṁ yathā kāntaścandraḥ saṁpūrṇamaṇḍalaḥ

Then to that great-souled king was born a son, lovely as the full-orbed moon on the night of the full moon.

Verse 36 (markandeya.72.36)

तस्मिन् जाते मुदं प्रापुः प्रजाः सर्वा महात्मनि । देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुः पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात च ॥ 72.36 ॥

tasmin jāte mudaṁ prāpuḥ prajāḥ sarvā mahātmani devadundubhayo neduḥ puṣpavṛṣṭiḥ papāta ca

At his birth all the people rejoiced greatly, the drums of the gods resounded, and a shower of flowers fell.

Verse 37 (markandeya.72.37)

तस्य दृष्ट्वा वपुः कान्तं भविष्यं शीलमेव च । औत्तमश्चेति मुनयो नाम चक्रुः समागताः ॥ 72.37 ॥

tasya dṛṣṭvā vapuḥ kāntaṁ bhaviṣyaṁ śīlameva ca auttamaśceti munayo nāma cakruḥ samāgatāḥ

Seeing his lovely form and his future character, the sages who had gathered there gave him the name "Auttama."

Verse 38 (markandeya.72.38)

जातोऽयमुत्तमे वंशे तत्र काले तथोत्तमे । उत्तमावयवस्तेन औत्तमोऽयं भविष्यति ॥ 72.38 ॥

jāto'yamuttame vaṁśe tatra kāle tathottame uttamāvayavastena auttamo'yaṁ bhaviṣyati

"Born in an excellent lineage, at an excellent time, and possessed of excellent limbs — he shall therefore be called Auttama."

Verse 39 (markandeya.72.39)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच उत्तमस्य सुतः सोऽथ नाम्ना ख्यातस्तथौत्तमः । मनुरासीत्तत्प्रभावो भागुरे श्रूयतां मम ॥ 72.39 ॥

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca uttamasya sutaḥ so'tha nāmnā khyātastathauttamaḥ manurāsīttatprabhāvo bhāgure śrūyatāṁ mama

Markandeya said: Thus Uttama's son became renowned by the name Auttama, and became Manu; hear now, O Bhagura, his glory as I relate it.

Verse 40 (markandeya.72.40)

उत्तमाख्यानमखिलं जन्म चैवोत्तमस्य च । नित्यं शृणोति विद्वेषं स कदाचिन्न गच्छति ॥ 72.40 ॥

uttamākhyānamakhilaṁ janma caivottamasya ca nityaṁ śṛṇoti vidveṣaṁ sa kadācinna gacchati

Whoever constantly hears the entire account of Auttama, together with his birth, never encounters enmity or hatred.

Verse 41 (markandeya.72.41)

इष्टैर्दारैस्तथा पुत्रैर्बन्धुभिर्वा कदाचन । वियोगो नास्य भविता शृण्वतः पठतोऽपि वा ॥ 72.41 ॥

iṣṭairdāraistathā putrairbandhubhirvā kadācana viyogo nāsya bhavitā śṛṇvataḥ paṭhato'pi vā

One who hears or recites it shall never suffer separation from beloved wife, sons, or kinsmen.

Verse 42 (markandeya.72.42)

तस्य मन्वन्तरं ब्रह्मन् ! वदतो मे निशामय । श्रूयतां तत्र यश्चेन्द्रो ये च देवास्तथर्षयः ॥ 72.42 ॥

tasya manvantaraṁ brahman ! vadato me niśāmaya śrūyatāṁ tatra yaścendro ye ca devāstatharṣayaḥ

O Brahmin, now hear from me the account of his Manvantara — who was Indra there, and who were the gods and sages.