Markandeya's Plea and the Assembly of Sages

Verse 1 (skanda.1.117.1)

मार्कंडेय उवाच । भगवन्वंचनेनालं त्वदेकप्रवणे मयि । किं मादृशोऽस्ति ते शिष्यस्त्वत्कृपैवात्र साक्षिणी

mārkaṁḍeya uvāca bhagavanvaṁcanenālaṁ tvadekapravaṇe mayi kiṁ mādṛśo'sti te śiṣyastvatkṛpaivātra sākṣiṇī

Markandeya said: O Lord, enough now of this evasion toward me, who am devoted to you alone; is there any disciple of yours like me? Your own grace alone is witness here.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.117.2)

स्थानेषु प्राक्त्वदुक्तेषु फलानि च पृथक्पृथक् । यत्र सर्वफलप्राप्तिः स्थानं तद्वद मे विभो

sthāneṣu prāktvadukteṣu phalāni ca pṛthakpṛthak yatra sarvaphalaprāptiḥ sthānaṁ tadvada me vibho

Among the places you have told me of before, you have also declared their separate fruits; but tell me that place, O Lord, where the attainment of every fruit is found.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.117.3)

चराचराणां भूतानां जानतामप्यजानताम् । यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण मुक्तिस्तद्वद देशिक

carācarāṇāṁ bhūtānāṁ jānatāmapyajānatām yasya smaraṇamātreṇa muktistadvada deśika

Tell me, O teacher, that place by whose mere remembrance alone liberation comes to moving and unmoving creatures, whether they know it or not.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.117.4)

पश्यैतेन मयैकेन भगवान्नानुराध्यसे । सर्वैरप्येतदर्थं हि मुनिभिः परिवार्यसे

paśyaitena mayaikena bhagavānnānurādhyase sarvairapyetadarthaṁ hi munibhiḥ parivāryase

See — I am not the only one who reveres you; for this very purpose you are surrounded by all the sages as well.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.117.5)

पुलहेन पुलस्त्येन वशिष्ठेन मरीचिना । अगस्त्येन दधीचेन नक्रुणा भृगुणात्रिणा

pulahena pulastyena vaśiṣṭhena marīcinā agastyena dadhīcena nakruṇā bhṛguṇātriṇā

Pulaha, Pulastya, Vashishtha, Marichi, Agastya, Dadhichi, Nakra, Bhrigu, Atri.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.117.6)

जाबालिना जैमिनिना धौम्येन जमदग्निना । उपयाजेन याजेन भरतेनार्वरीवता

jābālinā jaimininā dhaumyena jamadagninā upayājena yājena bharatenārvarīvatā

Jabali, Jaimini, Dhaumya, Jamadagni, Upayaja, Yaja, Bharata, Arvarivat.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.117.7)

पिप्पलादेन कण्ठेन कुमुदेनोपमन्युना । कुमुदाक्षेण कुत्सेन वत्सेन वरतंतुना

pippalādena kaṇṭhena kumudenopamanyunā kumudākṣeṇa kutsena vatsena varataṁtunā

Pippalada, Kantha, Kumuda, Upamanyu, Kumudaksha, Kutsa, Vatsa, Varatantu.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.117.8)

विभांडकेन व्यासेन कण्वरीषेण कंडुना । मांडव्येन मतंगेन कुक्षिणा मांडकर्णिना

vibhāṁḍakena vyāsena kaṇvarīṣeṇa kaṁḍunā māṁḍavyena mataṁgena kukṣiṇā māṁḍakarṇinā

Vibhandaka, Vyasa, Kanva, Rishi, Kandu, Mandavya, Matanga, Kukshi, Mandakarni.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.117.9)

चंडकौशिकशांडिल्यशाकटायनकौशिकैः । शातातपमधुच्छन्दोगर्गसौभरिरोमशैः

caṁḍakauśikaśāṁḍilyaśākaṭāyanakauśikaiḥ śātātapamadhucchandogargasaubhariromaśaiḥ

Chanda-Kaushika, Shandilya, Shakatayana, Kaushika, Shatatapa, Madhucchandas, Garga, Saubhari, Romasha.

Verse 10 (skanda.1.117.10)

आपस्तंबपृथुस्तंबभार्गवोदंकपर्वतैः । भारद्वाजेन दाल्भ्येन दांतेन श्वेतकेतुना

āpastaṁbapṛthustaṁbabhārgavodaṁkaparvataiḥ bhāradvājena dālbhyena dāṁtena śvetaketunā

Apastamba, Prithustamba, Bhargava, Udanka, Parvata, Bharadvaja, Dalbhya, Danta, Shvetaketu.

Verse 11 (skanda.1.117.11)

कौंडिन्यपुण्डरीकाभ्यां रैभ्येण तृणबिन्दुना । वाल्मीकिना नारदेन वह्निना दृढमन्युना

kauṁḍinyapuṇḍarīkābhyāṁ raibhyeṇa tṛṇabindunā vālmīkinā nāradena vahninā dṛḍhamanyunā

Kaundinya and Pundarika, Raibhya, Trinabindu, Valmiki, Narada, Vahni, Dridhamanyu.

Verse 12 (skanda.1.117.12)

बोधायनसुबोधाभ्यां हारीतेन मृकण्डुना । दुर्वाससातितीक्ष्णेन जालपादेन शक्तिना

bodhāyanasubodhābhyāṁ hārītena mṛkaṇḍunā durvāsasātitīkṣṇena jālapādena śaktinā

Bodhayana and Subodha, Harita, Mrikandu, Durvasas, Atitikshna, Jalapada, Shakti.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.117.13)

कांक्वार्येण नदन्तेन देवदत्तेन न्यंकुना । सुश्रुता चाग्निवेश्येन गालवेन मरुत्वता

kāṁkvāryeṇa nadantena devadattena nyaṁkunā suśrutā cāgniveśyena gālavena marutvatā

Kankvarya, Nadanta, Devadatta, Nyanku, Sushruta, Agnivesya, Galava, Marutvat.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.117.14)

लोकाक्षिणा विश्रवसा सैंधवेन सुमंतुना । शिशुपायनमौद्गल्यपथ्यचावनमातुरैः

lokākṣiṇā viśravasā saiṁdhavena sumaṁtunā śiśupāyanamaudgalyapathyacāvanamāturaiḥ

Lokakshi, Vishravas, Saindhava, Sumantu, Shishupayana, Maudgalya, Pathya, Chyavana, Atura.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.117.15)

ऋष्यशृङ्गैकपात्क्रौंचदृढगोमुखदेवलैः । अंगिरोवामदेवौर्वपतंजलिकपिंजलैः

ṛṣyaśṛṅgaikapātkrauṁcadṛḍhagomukhadevalaiḥ aṁgirovāmadevaurvapataṁjalikapiṁjalaiḥ

Rishyashringa, Ekapat, Krauncha, Dridhagomukha, Devala, Angiras, Vamadeva, Aurva, Patanjali, Kapinjala.

Verse 16 (skanda.1.117.16)

सनत्कुमारसनकसनंदनसनातनैः । हिरण्यनाभसत्याख्यवाताशनसुहोतृभिः

sanatkumārasanakasanaṁdanasanātanaiḥ hiraṇyanābhasatyākhyavātāśanasuhotṛbhiḥ

Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, Hiranyanabha, Satya, Vatashana, Suhotra.

Verse 17 (skanda.1.117.17)

मैत्रेयपुष्पजित्सत्यतपःशालीष्यशैशिरैः । निदाघोतथ्यसंवर्त्तशौल्कायनिपराशरैः

maitreyapuṣpajitsatyatapaḥśālīṣyaśaiśiraiḥ nidāghotathyasaṁvarttaśaulkāyaniparāśaraiḥ

Maitreya, Pushpajit, Satyatapas, Shalishya, Shaishira, Nidagha, Utathya, Samvarta, Shaulkayani, Parashara.

Verse 18 (skanda.1.117.18)

वैशंपायनकौशल्यशारद्वतकपिध्वजैः । कुशस्वार्चिककैवल्ययाज्ञवल्क्याश्वलायनैः

vaiśaṁpāyanakauśalyaśāradvatakapidhvajaiḥ kuśasvārcikakaivalyayājñavalkyāśvalāyanaiḥ

Vaishampayana, Kaushalya, Sharadvata, Kapidhvaja, Kusha, Svarchika, Kaivalya, Yajnavalkya, Ashvalayana.

Verse 19 (skanda.1.117.19)

कृष्णातपोत्तमानंतकरुणामलकप्रियैः । चरकेण पवित्रेण कपिलेन कणाशिना

kṛṣṇātapottamānaṁtakaruṇāmalakapriyaiḥ carakeṇa pavitreṇa kapilena kaṇāśinā

Krishnatapa, Uttamananta, Karuna, Amalaka-priya, Charaka, Pavitra, Kapila, Kanada.

Verse 20 (skanda.1.117.20)

नरनारायणाभ्यां च दिव्यैश्चान्यैर्महर्षिभिः । मत्प्रश्नोत्तरशुश्रूषातत्परैः प्रत्यवेक्ष्यसे

naranārāyaṇābhyāṁ ca divyaiścānyairmaharṣibhiḥ matpraśnottaraśuśrūṣātatparaiḥ pratyavekṣyase

And Nara and Narayana too, together with other divine great sages — all of them, eager to hear the answer to my question, look toward you.

Verse 21 (skanda.1.117.21)

माहेश्वराग्रगण्यस्त्वं समस्तागमपारगः । व्याप्तश्च सर्वलोकेषु यस्मात्तदनुसाधि नः

māheśvarāgragaṇyastvaṁ samastāgamapāragaḥ vyāptaśca sarvalokeṣu yasmāttadanusādhi naḥ

You are foremost among the devotees of Maheshvara, versed fully in all the Agamas, and pervading all the worlds — therefore instruct us in this.

Verse 22 (skanda.1.117.22)

त्वन्मुखादेव भगवन्वयमेते सुशिक्षिताः । पूर्वमेव त्वया देव किं वान्यदुपपद्यते

tvanmukhādeva bhagavanvayamete suśikṣitāḥ pūrvameva tvayā deva kiṁ vānyadupapadyate

O Lord, we have already been well taught by your own mouth before; O God, what else could there be, beyond what you have already declared?

Verse 23 (skanda.1.117.23)

दिव्यागमपुराणानि द्रष्टव्यः परमेश्वरः । कात्यायनी वा स्कन्दो वा भगवान्वाथ वा भवान्

divyāgamapurāṇāni draṣṭavyaḥ parameśvaraḥ kātyāyanī vā skando vā bhagavānvātha vā bhavān

The divine Agamas and Puranas, the Supreme Lord fit to be beheld, Katyayani or Skanda, or the Blessed One, or you yourself —

Verse 24 (skanda.1.117.24)

त्वयि यद्यस्ति नो भक्तिर्दया चास्मासु ते यदि । रहस्यमिदमुद्घाट्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि

tvayi yadyasti no bhaktirdayā cāsmāsu te yadi rahasyamidamudghāṭya prasādaṁ kartumarhasi

— if we have devotion toward you, and if you have compassion for us, then you ought, out of grace, to unveil this very secret.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.117.25)

इत्थं मृकण्डुतनयेन स नंदिकेशो विज्ञापितः सविनयं स्मयमानवक्त्रम् । तं प्राह चोन्नततरं शिवभक्तिमस्तु प्राग्भक्तितोषितशिवाप्तशरीरसिद्धिम्

itthaṁ mṛkaṇḍutanayena sa naṁdikeśo vijñāpitaḥ savinayaṁ smayamānavaktram taṁ prāha connatataraṁ śivabhaktimastu prāgbhaktitoṣitaśivāptaśarīrasiddhim

Thus humbly entreated by the son of Mrikandu, that Nandikesha, his face breaking into a smile, spoke to him: 'May a yet loftier devotion to Shiva be yours, joined with that perfection of the very body granted by Shiva, well pleased by devotion already shown.'