The War of Adi and Baka

Verse 1 (markandeya.9.1)

पक्षिण ऊचुः । राज्यच्युते हरिश्चन्द्रे गते च त्रिदशालयम् । निश्चक्राम महातेजा जलवासात् पुरोहितः ॥ 9.1 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ / rājyacyute hariścandre gate ca tridaśālayam / niścakrāma mahātejā jalavāsāt purohitaḥ // 9.1 //

The birds said: When Harishchandra, deposed from his kingdom, had departed to the abode of the gods, the greatly radiant family priest (Vashishtha) came forth from his dwelling in the water.

Verse 2 (markandeya.9.2)

वशिष्ठो द्वादशाब्दान्ते गङ्गापर्युषितो मुनिः । शुश्राव च समस्तन्तु विश्वामित्रविचेष्चितम् ॥ 9.2 ॥

vaśiṣṭho dvādaśābdānte gaṅgāparyuṣito muniḥ / śuśrāva ca samastantu viśvāmitraviceṣcitam // 9.2 //

At the end of twelve years, the sage Vashishtha, who had been dwelling by the Ganga, heard of the entire conduct of Vishvamitra —

Verse 3 (markandeya.9.3)

हरिश्चन्द्रस्य नाशञ्च राज्ञश्चोदारकर्मणः । चण्डालसम्प्रयोगञ्च भार्यातनयविक्रयम् ॥ 9.3 ॥

hariścandrasya nāśañca rājñaścodārakarmaṇaḥ / caṇḍālasamprayogañca bhāryātanayavikrayam // 9.3 //

of the ruin of that noble-acting king Harishchandra, and of his being made servant to a chandala, and of the sale of his wife and son.

Verse 4 (markandeya.9.4)

स श्रुत्वा सुमाहभागः प्रीतिमानवनीपतौ । चकार कोपं तेजस्वी विश्वामित्रमृषिं प्रति ॥ 9.4 ॥

sa śrutvā sumāhabhāgaḥ prītimānavanīpatau / cakāra kopaṃ tejasvī viśvāmitramṛṣiṃ prati // 9.4 //

That illustrious and radiant sage, who bore great affection for that king, on hearing this, became exceedingly angry at the sage Vishvamitra.

Verse 5 (markandeya.9.5)

वशिष्ठ उवाच । मम पुत्रशतं तेन विश्वामित्रेण घातितम् । तत्रापि नाभवत् क्रोधस्तादृशो यादृशोऽद्य मे ॥ 9.5 ॥

vaśiṣṭha uvāca / mama putraśataṃ tena viśvāmitreṇa ghātitam / tatrāpi nābhavat krodhastādṛśo yādṛśo 'dya me // 9.5 //

Vashishtha said: 'That Vishvamitra once slew my hundred sons, and even then I did not feel such anger as I feel today.'

Verse 6 (markandeya.9.6)

श्रुत्वा नराधिपमिमं स्वराज्यादवरीपितम् । महात्मानं महाभागं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम् ॥ 9.6 ॥

śrutvā narādhipamimaṃ svarājyādavarīpitam / mahātmānaṃ mahābhāgaṃ devabrāhmaṇapūjakam // 9.6 //

On hearing of that king, humiliated even beyond the loss of his own kingdom — that great-souled, illustrious worshipper of gods and brahmanas,

Verse 7 (markandeya.9.7)

यस्मात् स सत्यवाक् शान्तः शत्रावपि विमत्सरः । अनागाश्चैव धर्मात्मा अप्रमत्तो मदाश्रयः ॥ 9.7 ॥

yasmāt sa satyavāk śāntaḥ śatrāvapi vimatsaraḥ / anāgāścaiva dharmātmā apramatto madāśrayaḥ // 9.7 //

who was truthful of speech, tranquil, free of malice even toward an enemy, blameless, righteous, ever heedful, and one who took refuge in me —

Verse 8 (markandeya.9.8)

सपत्नीभृत्यपुत्रस्तु प्रापितोऽन्त्यां दशां नृपः । स राज्याच्च्यावितोऽनेन बहुशश्च खिलीकृतः ॥ 9.8 ॥

sapatnībhṛtyaputrastu prāpito 'ntyāṃ daśāṃ nṛpaḥ / sa rājyāccyāvito 'nena bahuśaśca khilīkṛtaḥ // 9.8 //

that king, together with his wife and son, was made a servant and brought to the very last extremity of life; this man cast him from his kingdom and humiliated him again and again.

Verse 9 (markandeya.9.9)

तस्माद् दुरात्मा ब्रह्मद्विट् प्राज्ञानामवरोपितः । मच्छापोपहतो मूढः स बकत्वमवाप्स्यति ॥ 9.9 ॥

tasmād durātmā brahmadviṭ prājñānāmavaropitaḥ / macchāpopahato mūḍhaḥ sa bakatvamavāpsyati // 9.9 //

Therefore that evil-souled hater of brahmanas, cast down from among the wise, that fool struck by my curse, shall become a crane (baka).

Verse 10 (markandeya.9.10)

पक्षिण ऊचुः । श्रुत्वा शापं महातेजा विश्वामित्रोऽपि कौशिकः । त्वमप्याडिर्भवस्तेवति प्रतिशापमयच्छत ॥ 9.10 ॥

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ / śrutvā śāpaṃ mahātejā viśvāmitro 'pi kauśikaḥ / tvamapyāḍirbhavastevati pratiśāpamayacchata // 9.10 //

The birds said: Hearing this curse, the greatly radiant Vishvamitra of the Kaushika lineage in turn pronounced a counter-curse: 'You too shall become an adi (a great heron)!'

Verse 11 (markandeya.9.11)

अन्योऽन्यशापात् तौ प्राप्तौ तिर्यक्त्वं परमद्युती । वशिष्ठः स महातेजा विश्वामित्रश्च कौशिकः ॥ 9.11 ॥

anyo 'nyaśāpāt tau prāptau tiryaktvaṃ paramadyutī / vaśiṣṭhaḥ sa mahātejā viśvāmitraśca kauśikaḥ // 9.11 //

Through their mutual curses, those two of surpassing splendor — the greatly radiant Vashishtha and Vishvamitra of the Kaushika line — passed into the state of birds.

Verse 12 (markandeya.9.12)

अन्यजातिसमायोगं गतावप्यमितौजसौ । युयुधातेऽतिसंरब्धौ महाबलपराक्रमौ ॥ 9.12 ॥

anyajātisamāyogaṃ gatāvapyamitaujasau / yuyudhāte 'tisaṃrabdhau mahābalaparākramau // 9.12 //

Though possessed of measureless splendor, having entered another species, those two, mighty and valorous, fell to fighting each other in great fury.

Verse 13 (markandeya.9.13)

योजनानां सहस्रे द्वे प्रमाणेनाडिरुच्छ्रितः । यन्नवत्यधिकं ब्रह्मन् ! सहस्रत्रितयं बकः ॥ 9.13 ॥

yojanānāṃ sahasre dve pramāṇenāḍirucchritaḥ / yannavatyadhikaṃ brahman ! sahasratritayaṃ bakaḥ // 9.13 //

The adi's height measured two thousand yojanas, O brahmana, and the crane's, three thousand and ninety.

Verse 14 (markandeya.9.14)

तौ तु पक्षप्रहाराभ्यामन्योन्यस्योरुविक्रमौ । प्रहरन्तौ भयं तीव्रं प्रजानाञ्चक्रतुस्तदा ॥ 9.14 ॥

tau tu pakṣaprahārābhyāmanyonyasyoruvikramau / praharantau bhayaṃ tīvraṃ prajānāñcakratustadā // 9.14 //

Those two immensely powerful birds, striking each other with blows of their wings, spread terrible fear among all creatures at that time.

Verse 15 (markandeya.9.15)

विधूय पक्षाणि बको रक्तोद्वृत्ताक्षिराहनत् । आडिं सोऽप्युन्नतग्रीवो बकं पद्भ्यामताडयत् ॥ 9.15 ॥

vidhūya pakṣāṇi bako raktodvṛttākṣirāhanat / āḍiṃ so 'pyunnatagrīvo bakaṃ padbhyāmatāḍayat // 9.15 //

The crane, beating its wings, its eyes red and rolling, struck at the adi; and the adi, its neck raised high, struck the crane with its feet in turn.

Verse 16 (markandeya.9.16)

तयोः पक्षानिलापास्ताः प्रपेतुर्गिरयो भुवि । गिरिप्रपाताभिहता चकम्पे च वसुन्धरा ॥ 9.16 ॥

tayoḥ pakṣānilāpāstāḥ prapeturgirayo bhuvi / giriprapātābhihatā cakampe ca vasundharā // 9.16 //

From the wind of their wings, mountains fell upon the earth, and the earth, struck by the falling mountains, shook and trembled.

Verse 17 (markandeya.9.17)

क्ष्मा कम्पमाना जलधीनुद्वृत्ताम्बूंश्चकार च । ननाम चैकपार्श्वेन पातालगमनोन्मुखी ॥ 9.17 ॥

kṣmā kampamānā jaladhīnudvṛttāmbūṃścakāra ca / nanāma caikapārśvena pātālagamanonmukhī // 9.17 //

The trembling earth caused the oceans to surge and swell, and, tilting to one side, seemed about to plunge down into the netherworld.

Verse 18 (markandeya.9.18)

केचिदिगरिनिपातेन केचिदम्भोधिवारिणा । केचिन्महीसञ्चलनात् प्रययुः प्राणिनः क्षयम् ॥ 9.18 ॥

kecidigarinipātena kecidambhodhivāriṇā / kecinmahīsañcalanāt prayayuḥ prāṇinaḥ kṣayam // 9.18 //

Some creatures perished from the falling mountains, some from the waters of the ocean, and some from the shaking of the earth.

Verse 19 (markandeya.9.19)

इति सर्वं परित्रस्तं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । जगदासीत् सुसम्भ्रान्तं पर्यस्तक्षितिमण्डलम् ॥ 9.19 ॥

iti sarvaṃ paritrastaṃ hāhābhūtamacetanam / jagadāsīt susambhrāntaṃ paryastakṣitimaṇḍalam // 9.19 //

Thus the whole world became terrified, crying out in distress, bereft of its senses; the very circle of the earth seemed overturned, thrown into utter confusion.

Verse 20 (markandeya.9.20)

हा वत्स ! हा कान्त ! शिशो ! प्रयाह्येषोऽस्मि संस्थितः । हा प्रिये ! कान्त ! शैलोऽयं पतत्याशु पलायताम् ॥ 9.20 ॥

hā vatsa ! hā kānta ! śiśo ! prayāhyeṣo 'smi saṃsthitaḥ / hā priye ! kānta ! śailo 'yaṃ patatyāśu palāyatām // 9.20 //

'Alas, my child! Alas, beloved! O little one, flee — I am left standing here!' 'Alas, my dear one! Alas, beloved! This mountain is about to fall — flee at once!'

Verse 21 (markandeya.9.21)

इत्याकुलीकृते लोके संत्रासविमुखे तदा । सुरैः परिवृतः सर्वैराजगाम पितामहः ॥ 9.21 ॥

ityākulīkṛte loke saṃtrāsavimukhe tadā / suraiḥ parivṛtaḥ sarvairājagāma pitāmahaḥ // 9.21 //

When the world was thus thrown into confusion, overcome with terror, then the grandsire Brahma came there, surrounded by all the gods.

Verse 22 (markandeya.9.22)

प्रत्युवाच च विश्वेशास्तावुभावतिकोपितौ । युद्धं वा विरमत्वेतल्लोकाः स्वास्थ्यं व्रजन्तु च ॥ 9.22 ॥

pratyuvāca ca viśveśāstāvubhāvatikopitau / yuddhaṃ vā viramatvetallokāḥ svāsthyaṃ vrajantu ca // 9.22 //

The lord of all beings said to those two, both exceedingly enraged: 'Either stop this war, or let all the worlds be restored to peace.'

Verse 23 (markandeya.9.23)

शृण्वन्तावपि तौ वाक्यं ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कोपामर्षसमाविष्टो युयुधाते न तस्थतुः ॥ 9.23 ॥

śṛṇvantāvapi tau vākyaṃ brahmaṇo 'vyaktajanmanaḥ / kopāmarṣasamāviṣṭo yuyudhāte na tasthatuḥ // 9.23 //

Though hearing this word of Brahma, whose birth is unmanifest, those two, filled with rage and impatience, went on fighting and did not desist.

Verse 24 (markandeya.9.24)

ततः पितामहो देवस्तं दृष्ट्वा लोकसंक्षयम् । तयोश्च हितमन्विच्छन् तिर्यग्भावमपानुदत् ॥ 9.24 ॥

tataḥ pitāmaho devastaṃ dṛṣṭvā lokasaṃkṣayam / tayośca hitamanvicchan tiryagbhāvamapānudat // 9.24 //

Then the grandsire god, seeing that destruction of the worlds, and desiring the welfare of both, removed their bird-forms from them.

Verse 25 (markandeya.9.25)

ततस्तौ पूर्वदेहस्थौ प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः । व्युदस्ते तामसे भावे वशिष्ठ०-कौशिकर्षभौ ॥ 9.25 ॥

tatastau pūrvadehasthau prāha devaḥ prajāpatiḥ / vyudaste tāmase bhāve vaśiṣṭha0-kauśikarṣabhau // 9.25 //

Then, to those two, restored to their former bodies, the god Prajapati said: 'O Vashishtha and best of the Kaushikas, cast off this state of darkness (tamas) —'

Verse 26 (markandeya.9.26)

जहि वत्स वशिष्ठ त्वं त्वञ्च कौशिक सत्तम । तामसं भावमाश्रित्य ईदृग्युद्धं चिकीर्षितम् ॥ 9.26 ॥

jahi vatsa vaśiṣṭha tvaṃ tvañca kauśika sattama / tāmasaṃ bhāvamāśritya īdṛgyuddhaṃ cikīrṣitam // 9.26 //

'— O child Vashishtha, and you too, best of Kaushikas — give up this desire for such a war, waged under the sway of darkness.'

Verse 27 (markandeya.9.27)

राजसूयविपाकोऽयं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः । युवयोर्विग्रहश्चायं पृथिवीक्षयकारकः ॥ 9.27 ॥

rājasūyavipāko 'yaṃ hariścandrasya bhūpateḥ / yuvayorvigrahaścāyaṃ pṛthivīkṣayakārakaḥ // 9.27 //

'This is but the fruit of King Harishchandra's rajasuya sacrifice ripening; and this quarrel between you two is likewise becoming the cause of the earth's destruction.'

Verse 28 (markandeya.9.28)

न चापि कौशिकश्रेष्ठस्तस्य राज्ञोऽपरध्यते । स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरो ब्रह्मन्नपकारपदे स्थितः ॥ 9.28 ॥

na cāpi kauśikaśreṣṭhastasya rājño 'paradhyate / svargaprāptikaro brahmannapakārapade sthitaḥ // 9.28 //

'And indeed the eminent Kaushika has committed no true offense against that king, O brahmana; standing in the very place of an injurer, he has in fact become the cause of that king's attaining heaven.'

Verse 29 (markandeya.9.29)

तपो विघ्नस्य कर्तारौ कामक्रोधवशं गतौ । परित्यजत भद्रं वो ब्रह्म हि प्रचुरं बलम् ॥ 9.29 ॥

tapo vighnasya kartārau kāmakrodhavaśaṃ gatau / parityajata bhadraṃ vo brahma hi pracuraṃ balam // 9.29 //

'Overcome by desire and anger, you two have become obstacles to each other's austerity; abandon this, may you both prosper — brahminical power (brahman) alone is the greatest strength.'

Verse 30 (markandeya.9.30)

एवमुक्तौ ततस्तेन लज्जितौ तावुभावपि । क्षमयामासतुः प्रीत्या परिष्वज्य परस्परम् ॥ 9.30 ॥

evamuktau tatastena lajjitau tāvubhāvapi / kṣamayāmāsatuḥ prītyā pariṣvajya parasparam // 9.30 //

When Brahma had spoken thus, both of them, ashamed, embraced each other affectionately and asked forgiveness of one another.

Verse 31 (markandeya.9.31)

ततः सुरैर्वन्द्यमानो ब्रह्मा लोकं निजं ययौ । वशिष्ठोऽप्यात्मनः स्थानं कौशिकोऽपि स्वामाश्रयम् ॥ 9.31 ॥

tataḥ surairvandyamāno brahmā lokaṃ nijaṃ yayau / vaśiṣṭho 'pyātmanaḥ sthānaṃ kauśiko 'pi svāmāśrayam // 9.31 //

Then, honored by the gods, Brahma returned to his own world; Vashishtha too went to his own abode, and Kaushika to his own hermitage.

Verse 32 (markandeya.9.32)

एतदाडिबकं युद्धं हरिश्चन्द्रकथां तथा । कथयिष्यन्ति ये मर्त्याः सम्यक् श्रोष्यन्ति चैव ये ॥ 9.32 ॥

etadāḍibakaṃ yuddhaṃ hariścandrakathāṃ tathā / kathayiṣyanti ye martyāḥ samyak śroṣyanti caiva ye // 9.32 //

Those mortals who shall well relate this war of Adi and Baka and the story of Harishchandra, and those who shall well and truly hear it,

Verse 33 (markandeya.9.33)

तेषां पापापनोदन्तु श्रुतं ह्येव करिष्यति । न चैव विघ्नकार्याणि भविष्यन्ति कदाचन ॥ 9.33 ॥

teṣāṃ pāpāpanodantu śrutaṃ hyeva kariṣyati / na caiva vighnakāryāṇi bhaviṣyanti kadācana // 9.33 //

from all of them this hearing shall remove their sins, and no obstacle shall ever arise in their undertakings.