Markandeya's Account of Boarding the Raft at the Dissolution of the Kalpa, in the Dialogue Between Markandeya and Dharmaraja

Verse 1 (skanda.5.158.1)

युधिष्ठिर उवाच। सप्तकल्पक्षया घोरास्त्वया दृष्टा महामुने। न चापीहास्ति भगवन्दीर्घायुरिह कश्चन॥

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca| saptakalpakṣayā ghorāstvayā dṛṣṭā mahāmune| na cāpīhāsti bhagavandīrghāyuriha kaścana||

Yudhishthira said: You, O great sage, have witnessed the terrible destructions of seven kalpas; and yet, O Lord, there exists here no other being of such long life.

Verse 2 (skanda.5.158.2)

त्वया ह्येकार्णवे सुप्तः पद्मनाभः सुरारिहा। दृष्टः सहस्रचरणः सहस्रनयनोदरः॥

tvayā hyekārṇave suptaḥ padmanābhaḥ surārihā| dṛṣṭaḥ sahasracaraṇaḥ sahasranayanodaraḥ||

By you was seen, sleeping upon the single ocean of dissolution, the lotus-naveled slayer of the foes of the gods, of a thousand feet, whose belly held the thousand-eyed one.

Verse 3 (skanda.5.158.3)

त्वं किलानुग्रहात्तस्य दह्यमाने चराचरे। न क्षयं समनुप्राप्तो वरदानान्महात्मनः॥

tvaṁ kilānugrahāttasya dahyamāne carācare| na kṣayaṁ samanuprāpto varadānānmahātmanaḥ||

Indeed, by his grace and boon-granting, while the moving and unmoving world was burning, you, great soul, did not meet with destruction.

Verse 4 (skanda.5.158.4)

किं त्वयाश्चर्यभूतं हि दृष्टं च भ्रमतानघ। एतदाचक्ष्व भगवन्परं कौतूहलं हि मे॥

kiṁ tvayāścaryabhūtaṁ hi dṛṣṭaṁ ca bhramatānagha| etadācakṣva bhagavanparaṁ kautūhalaṁ hi me||

What wonder did you see, O sinless one, as you wandered? Tell me this, O Lord, for I am filled with great curiosity.

Verse 5 (skanda.5.158.5)

सम्प्राप्ते च महाघोरे युगस्यान्ते महाक्षये। अनावृष्टिहते लोके पुरा वर्षशताधिके॥

samprāpte ca mahāghore yugasyānte mahākṣaye| anāvṛṣṭihate loke purā varṣaśatādhike||

When the great terrible destruction at the end of the age had come, the world stricken by drought for more than a hundred years,

Verse 6 (skanda.5.158.6)

औषधीनां क्षये घोरे देवदानववर्जिते। निर्वीर्ये निर्वषट्कारे कलिना दूषिते भृशम्॥

auṣadhīnāṁ kṣaye ghore devadānavavarjite| nirvīrye nirvaṣaṭkāre kalinā dūṣite bhṛśam||

in the dreadful destruction of herbs, when gods and demons had vanished, when the world was powerless, without the sacred exclamation vashat, deeply corrupted by Kali,

Verse 7 (skanda.5.158.7)

सरित्सरस्तडागेषु पल्वलोपवनेषु च। संशुष्केषु तदा ब्रह्मन्निराकारे युगक्षये॥

saritsarastaḍāgeṣu palvalopavaneṣu ca| saṁśuṣkeṣu tadā brahmannirākāre yugakṣaye||

when rivers, lakes, ponds, pools, and groves had all dried up, O brahmin, at that formless destruction of the age,

Verse 8 (skanda.5.158.8)

जनं प्राप्ते महर्लोके ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशादयः। ऋषयश्च महात्मानो दिव्यतेजःसमन्विताः॥

janaṁ prāpte maharloke brahmakṣatraviśādayaḥ| ṛṣayaśca mahātmāno divyatejaḥsamanvitāḥ||

when the brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and others, and the great-souled sages endowed with divine radiance, had gone to the Jana and Mahar worlds,

Verse 9 (skanda.5.158.9)

स्थितानि कानि भूतानि गतान्येव महामुने। एतत्सर्वं महाभाग कथयस्व पृथक्पृथक्॥

sthitāni kāni bhūtāni gatānyeva mahāmune| etatsarvaṁ mahābhāga kathayasva pṛthakpṛthak||

which beings remained, and which had gone, O great sage? Tell me all this separately, O greatly fortunate one.

Verse 10 (skanda.5.158.10)

भूतानि कानि विप्रेन्द्र कथं सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्। ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्ररुद्राणां काले प्राप्ते सुदारुणे॥

bhūtāni kāni viprendra kathaṁ siddhimavāpnuyāt| brahmaviṣṇvindrarudrāṇāṁ kāle prāpte sudāruṇe||

Which beings, O foremost of brahmins, attain perfection, and how, when the most terrible time of Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, and Rudra arrives?

Verse 11 (skanda.5.158.11)

एवमुक्तस्ततः सोऽथ धर्मराजेन धीमता। मार्कण्डः प्रत्युवाचेदमृषिसंघैः समावृतः॥

evamuktastataḥ so'tha dharmarājena dhīmatā| mārkaṇḍaḥ pratyuvācedamṛṣisaṁghaiḥ samāvṛtaḥ||

Thus addressed by the wise Dharmaraja, Markandeya, surrounded by throngs of sages, then replied as follows.

Verse 12 (skanda.5.158.12)

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच। शृण्वन्तु ऋषयः सर्वे त्वया सह नरेश्वर। महत्पुराणं पूर्वोक्तं शंभुना वायुदैवते॥

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca| śṛṇvantu ṛṣayaḥ sarve tvayā saha nareśvara| mahatpurāṇaṁ pūrvoktaṁ śaṁbhunā vāyudaivate||

Sri Markandeya said: Let all the sages listen, together with you, O lord of men — this great Purana, formerly spoken by Shambhu to the deity Vayu.

Verse 13 (skanda.5.158.13)

वायोः सकाशात्स्कन्देन श्रुतमेतत्पुरातनम्। वसिष्ठः श्रुतवांस्तस्मात्पराशरस्ततः परम्॥

vāyoḥ sakāśātskandena śrutametatpurātanam| vasiṣṭhaḥ śrutavāṁstasmātparāśarastataḥ param||

This ancient Purana was heard by Skanda from Vayu; Vasishtha heard it from him, and after him Parashara,

Verse 14 (skanda.5.158.14)

तस्माच्च जातूकर्ण्येन तस्माच्चैव महर्षिभिः। एवं परम्पराप्रोक्तं शतसंख्यैर्द्विजोत्तमैः॥

tasmācca jātūkarṇyena tasmāccaiva maharṣibhiḥ| evaṁ paramparāproktaṁ śatasaṁkhyairdvijottamaiḥ||

and from him by Jatukarnya, and from him again by the great sages; thus told in succession by hundreds of foremost brahmins.

Verse 15 (skanda.5.158.15)

संहिता शतसाहस्री पुरोक्ता शंभुना किल। आलोड्य सर्वशास्त्राणि वदार्थं तत्त्वतः पुरा॥

saṁhitā śatasāhasrī puroktā śaṁbhunā kila| āloḍya sarvaśāstrāṇi vadārthaṁ tattvataḥ purā||

A recension of a hundred thousand verses was indeed formerly spoken by Shambhu, who, having surveyed all the shastras, told its true meaning of old.

Verse 16 (skanda.5.158.16)

युगरूपेण सा पश्चाच्चतुर्धा विनियोजिता। मदप्रज्ञानुसारेण नराणां तु महर्षिभिः॥

yugarūpeṇa sā paścāccaturdhā viniyojitā| madaprajñānusāreṇa narāṇāṁ tu maharṣibhiḥ||

It was afterward arranged fourfold, according to the ages, by the great sages, in accordance with the understanding of men.

Verse 17 (skanda.5.158.17)

आराध्य पशुभर्तारं मया पूर्वं महेश्वरम्। पुराणं श्रुतमेतद्धि तत्ते वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः॥

ārādhya paśubhartāraṁ mayā pūrvaṁ maheśvaram| purāṇaṁ śrutametaddhi tatte vakṣyāmyaśeṣataḥ||

Having worshipped Maheshvara, the lord of creatures, I formerly heard this Purana; I shall tell it to you now in full.

Verse 18 (skanda.5.158.18)

यच्छ्रुत्वा मुच्यते जन्तुः सर्वपापैर्नरेश्वर। मानसैः कर्मजैश्चैव सप्तजन्मसु संचितैः॥

yacchrutvā mucyate jantuḥ sarvapāpairnareśvara| mānasaiḥ karmajaiścaiva saptajanmasu saṁcitaiḥ||

Hearing which, O lord of men, a creature is freed from all sins — those of the mind and those born of action, accumulated over seven births.

Verse 19 (skanda.5.158.19)

सप्तकल्पक्षया घोरा मया दृष्टाः पुनःपुनः। प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्य विष्णोश्च परमेष्ठिनः॥

saptakalpakṣayā ghorā mayā dṛṣṭāḥ punaḥpunaḥ| prasādāddevadevasya viṣṇośca parameṣṭhinaḥ||

The terrible destructions of seven kalpas I have witnessed again and again, by the grace of the god of gods, Vishnu, the Supreme Lord.

Verse 20 (skanda.5.158.20)

द्वादशादित्यनिर्दग्धे जगत्येकार्णवीकृते। श्रान्तोऽहं विभ्रमंस्तत्र तरन्बाहुभिरर्णवम्॥

dvādaśādityanirdagdhe jagatyekārṇavīkṛte| śrānto'haṁ vibhramaṁstatra taranbāhubhirarṇavam||

When the world had been burnt up by the twelve Adityas and turned into a single ocean, I, exhausted, wandered there, swimming across the ocean with my arms.

Verse 21 (skanda.5.158.21)

अथाहं सलिले राजन्नादित्यसमरूपिणम्। पुरा पुरुषमद्राक्षमनादिनिधनं प्रभुम्॥

athāhaṁ salile rājannādityasamarūpiṇam| purā puruṣamadrākṣamanādinidhanaṁ prabhum||

Then, O king, in the water, I once beheld a Person resembling the sun, the Lord without beginning or end.

Verse 22 (skanda.5.158.22)

शृङ्गं चैवाद्रिराजस्य भासयन्तं दिशो दश। द्वितीयोऽन्यो मनुर्दृष्टः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः॥

śṛṅgaṁ caivādrirājasya bhāsayantaṁ diśo daśa| dvitīyo'nyo manurdṛṣṭaḥ putrapautrasamanvitaḥ||

He was illumining the peak of the king of mountains and the ten directions. I saw there a second, another Manu, together with his sons and grandsons.

Verse 23 (skanda.5.158.23)

अगाधे भ्रमते सोऽपि तमोभूते महार्णवे। अविश्रमन्मुहूर्तं तु चक्रारूढ इव भ्रमन्॥

agādhe bhramate so'pi tamobhūte mahārṇave| aviśramanmuhūrtaṁ tu cakrārūḍha iva bhraman||

He too wandered in that unfathomable, darkness-filled great ocean, not resting even a moment, wheeling about as though mounted on a potter's wheel.

Verse 24 (skanda.5.158.24)

अथाहं भयादुद्विग्नस्तरन्बाहुभिरर्णवम्। तत्रस्थोऽहं महामत्स्यमपश्यं मदसंयुतम्॥

athāhaṁ bhayādudvignastaranbāhubhirarṇavam| tatrastho'haṁ mahāmatsyamapaśyaṁ madasaṁyutam||

Then, agitated by fear, swimming across the ocean with my arms, standing there I saw a great Fish, full of might.

Verse 25 (skanda.5.158.25)

ततोऽब्रवीत्स मां दृष्ट्वा एह्येहीति च भारत। परं प्रधानः सर्वेषां मत्स्यरूपो महेश्वरः॥

tato'bravītsa māṁ dṛṣṭvā ehyehīti ca bhārata| paraṁ pradhānaḥ sarveṣāṁ matsyarūpo maheśvaraḥ||

Then, seeing me, O descendant of Bharata, he said, 'Come, come' — Maheshvara himself in the form of a fish, foremost and supreme of all.

Verse 26 (skanda.5.158.26)

ततोऽहं त्वरया गत्वा तन्मुखे मनुजेश्वर। सुश्रान्तो विगतज्ञानः परं निर्वेदमागतः॥

tato'haṁ tvarayā gatvā tanmukhe manujeśvara| suśrānto vigatajñānaḥ paraṁ nirvedamāgataḥ||

Then, O lord of men, going quickly to his mouth, utterly exhausted, my consciousness gone, I fell into the deepest despair.

Verse 27 (skanda.5.158.27)

ततोऽद्राक्षं समुद्रान्ते महदावर्तसंकुलाम्। उद्यत्तरंगसलिलां फेनपुञ्जाट्टहासिनीम्॥

tato'drākṣaṁ samudrānte mahadāvartasaṁkulām| udyattaraṁgasalilāṁ phenapuñjāṭṭahāsinīm||

Then, at the edge of the ocean, I beheld a river thronged with great whirlpools, its water rising in waves, laughing aloud with masses of foam,

Verse 28 (skanda.5.158.28)

नदीं कामगमां पुण्यां झषमीनसमाकुलाम्। नद्यास्तस्यास्तु मध्यस्था प्रमदा कामरूपिणी॥

nadīṁ kāmagamāṁ puṇyāṁ jhaṣamīnasamākulām| nadyāstasyāstu madhyasthā pramadā kāmarūpiṇī||

a holy river moving at will, thronged with every kind of fish; and in the midst of that river stood a woman, able to take any form she desired,

Verse 29 (skanda.5.158.29)

नीलोत्पलदलश्यामा महत्प्रक्षोभवाहिनी। दिव्यहाटकचित्राङ्गी कनकोज्ज्वलशोभिता॥

nīlotpaladalaśyāmā mahatprakṣobhavāhinī| divyahāṭakacitrāṅgī kanakojjvalaśobhitā||

dark as the petal of a blue lotus, bearing along her great turbulence, her limbs wondrously adorned with divine gold, resplendent with a golden brilliance.

Verse 30 (skanda.5.158.30)

द्वाभ्यां संगृह्य जानुभ्यां महत्पोतं व्यवस्थिता। तां मनुः प्रत्युवाचेदं का त्वं दिव्यवराङ्गने॥

dvābhyāṁ saṁgṛhya jānubhyāṁ mahatpotaṁ vyavasthitā| tāṁ manuḥ pratyuvācedaṁ kā tvaṁ divyavarāṅgane||

Holding a great raft fast between her two knees, she stood there. Manu spoke to her thus: 'Who are you, O divine and excellent lady?'

Verse 31 (skanda.5.158.31)

तिष्ठसे केन कार्येण त्वमत्र सुरसुन्दरि। सुरासुरगणे नष्टे भ्रमसे लीलयार्णवे॥

tiṣṭhase kena kāryeṇa tvamatra surasundari| surāsuragaṇe naṣṭe bhramase līlayārṇave||

'For what purpose do you stand here, O beautiful goddess? When the hosts of gods and demons have perished, you wander at play upon the ocean.'

Verse 32 (skanda.5.158.32)

सरितः सागराः शैलाः क्षयं प्राप्ता ह्यनेकशः। त्वमेका तु कथं साध्वि तिष्ठसे कारणं महत्। श्रोतुमिच्छाम्यहं देवि कथयस्व ह्यशेषतः॥

saritaḥ sāgarāḥ śailāḥ kṣayaṁ prāptā hyanekaśaḥ| tvamekā tu kathaṁ sādhvi tiṣṭhase kāraṇaṁ mahat| śrotumicchāmyahaṁ devi kathayasva hyaśeṣataḥ||

'Rivers, oceans, and mountains, in their multitudes, have all come to destruction. How is it that you alone, O virtuous one, remain? There must be a great reason. I wish to hear it, O goddess — tell me in full.'

Verse 33 (skanda.5.158.33)

अबलोवाच। ईश्वराङ्गसमुद्भूता ह्यमृतानाम विश्रुता। सरित्पापहरा पुण्या मामाश्रित्य भयं कुतः॥

abalovāca| īśvarāṅgasamudbhūtā hyamṛtānāma viśrutā| saritpāpaharā puṇyā māmāśritya bhayaṁ kutaḥ||

The woman said: 'I have arisen from the body of Ishvara; renowned among the immortals; a sin-destroying, holy river — how, resorting to me, could there be fear?'

Verse 34 (skanda.5.158.34)

साहं पोतमिमं तुभ्यं गृहीत्वा ह्यागता द्विज। न ह्यस्य पोतस्य क्षयो यत्र तिष्ठति शंकरः॥

sāhaṁ potamimaṁ tubhyaṁ gṛhītvā hyāgatā dvija| na hyasya potasya kṣayo yatra tiṣṭhati śaṁkaraḥ||

'I have come, having taken hold of this raft for you, O brahmin. This raft knows no destruction, for Shankara himself abides in it.'

Verse 35 (skanda.5.158.35)

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः। मनुना सह राजेन्द्र पोतारूढो ह्यहं तदा॥

tasyāstadvacanaṁ śrutvā vismayotphullalocanaḥ| manunā saha rājendra potārūḍho hyahaṁ tadā||

Hearing her words, my eyes wide with astonishment, O lord of kings, I then, together with Manu, climbed aboard the raft.

Verse 36 (skanda.5.158.36)

कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा विभुम्। व्यापिनं परमेशानमस्तौषमभयप्रदम्॥

kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā praṇamya śirasā vibhum| vyāpinaṁ parameśānamastauṣamabhayapradam||

With joined palms, having bowed my head to the all-pervading, Supreme Lord, I praised the giver of fearlessness.

Verse 37 (skanda.5.158.37)

सद्योजाताय देवाय वामदेवाय वै नमः। भवे भवे नमस्तुभ्यं भक्तिगम्याय ते नमः॥

sadyojātāya devāya vāmadevāya vai namaḥ| bhave bhave namastubhyaṁ bhaktigamyāya te namaḥ||

Salutation to the god Sadyojata, and salutation to Vamadeva; salutation to you present in birth after birth, salutation to you who are attained through devotion alone.

Verse 38 (skanda.5.158.38)

भूर्भुवाय नमस्तुभ्यं रामज्येष्ठाय वै नमः। नमस्ते भद्रकालाय कलिरूपाय वै नमः॥

bhūrbhuvāya namastubhyaṁ rāmajyeṣṭhāya vai namaḥ| namaste bhadrakālāya kalirūpāya vai namaḥ||

Salutation to you, Lord of earth and sky; salutation to the eldest among the Ramas; salutation to you, Bhadrakala, salutation to the one whose form is Time itself.

Verse 39 (skanda.5.158.39)

अचिन्त्याव्यक्तरूपाय महादेवाय धामने। विद्महे देवदेवाय तन्नो रुद्र नमोनमः॥

acintyāvyaktarūpāya mahādevāya dhāmane| vidmahe devadevāya tanno rudra namonamaḥ||

To the one of inconceivable, unmanifest form, to Mahadeva, the abode of light — we know you, O god of gods; to that Rudra, salutation, salutation again.

Verse 40 (skanda.5.158.40)

जगत्सृष्टिविनाशानां कारणाय नमोनमः। एवं स्तुतो महादेवः पूर्वं सृष्टया मयानघ॥

jagatsṛṣṭivināśānāṁ kāraṇāya namonamaḥ| evaṁ stuto mahādevaḥ pūrvaṁ sṛṣṭayā mayānagha||

Salutation, salutation again, to the cause of the creation and destruction of the world. Thus, O sinless one, did I praise Mahadeva of old, in that primal creation.

Verse 41 (skanda.5.158.41)

प्रसन्नो मावदत्पश्चाद्वरं वरय सुव्रत॥

prasanno māvadatpaścādvaraṁ varaya suvrata||

Being pleased, he then said to me: 'Choose a boon, O one of good vows.'