mārkaṇḍeya uvāca.
Markandeya said:
sāvarṇiḥ sūryatanayo yo manuḥ kathyate'ṣṭamaḥ . niśāmaya tadutpattiṁ vistarād gadato mama.
Savarni, the son of Surya, is called the eighth Manu. Listen, while I describe his birth in detail.
mahāmāyānubhāvena yathā manvantarādhipaḥ . sa babhūva mahābhāgaḥ sāvarṇistanayo raveḥ.
Hear how that illustrious Savarni, the son of the Sun god, became the lord of the Manvantara by the grace of Mahamaya.
svārociṣe'ntare pūrvaṁ caitravaṁśasamudbhavaḥ . suratho nāma rājābhūtsamaste kṣitimaṇḍale.
In former times, during the period of the Svarochisha Manu, there was a king named Suratha, born of the Chaitra dynasty, who ruled over the entire earth.
tasya pālayataḥ samyak prajāḥ putrānivaurasān . babhūvuḥ śatravo bhūpāḥ kolāvidhvaṁsinastadā.
While he protected his subjects righteously like his own children, the kings who were the destroyers of the Kolas became his enemies.
tasya tairabhavad yuddhamatiprabaladaṇḍinaḥ . nyūnairapi sa tairyuddhe kolāvidhvaṁsibhirjitaḥ.
He, who wielded a very powerful army, fought a battle with them, but was defeated in war by the Kola-destroyers even though they were inferior in number.
tataḥ svapuramāyāto nijadeśādhipo'bhavat . ākrāntaḥ sa mahābhāgastaistadā prabalāribhiḥ.
Then he returned to his own city and remained the ruler of his own country, but that illustrious king was soon attacked by those powerful enemies.
amātyairbalibhirduṣṭairdurbalasya durātmabhiḥ . kośo balaṁ cāpahr̥taṁ tatrāpi svapure tataḥ.
Even in his own city, the king, now bereft of strength, was robbed of his treasury and army by his powerful, wicked, and evil-minded ministers.
tato mr̥gayāvyājena hr̥tasvāmyaḥ sa bhūpatiḥ . ekākī hayamāruhya jagāma gahanaṁ vanam.
Thereafter, deprived of his sovereignty, the king mounted a horse under the pretext of hunting and went alone into a dense forest.
sa tatrāśramamadrākṣīd dvijavaryasya medhasaḥ . praśāntaśvāpadākīrṇaṁ muniśiṣyopaśobhitam.
There he saw the hermitage of Medhas, the foremost among the twice-born, filled with peaceful wild animals and graced by the disciples of the sage.
tasthau kañcit sa kālaṁ ca muninā tena satkr̥taḥ . itaścaitaśca vicaraṁstasmin munivarāśrame.
Entertained by that sage, he stayed for some time, wandering hither and thither in that excellent hermitage.
so'cintayat tadā tatra mamatvākr̥ṣṭacetanaḥ . matpūrvaiḥ pālitaṁ pūrvaṁ mayā hīnaṁ puraṁ hi tat.
Then, his mind drawn by attachment, he thought: 'That city, formerly protected by my ancestors, is now bereft of me.
madbhr̥tyaistairasadvr̥ttairdharmataḥ pālyate na vā . na jāne sa pradhāno me śūrahastī sadāmadaḥ.
I do not know whether it is being governed righteously or not by those wicked servants of mine. I do not know what has become of my chief heroic elephant, always in rut,
mama vairivaśaṁ yātaḥ kān bhogānupalapsyate . ye mamānugatā nityaṁ prasādadhanabhojanaiḥ.
now that he has fallen into the hands of my enemies, and what pleasures he will obtain. Those who were my constant followers, receiving favors, wealth, and food,
anuvr̥ttiṁ dhruvaṁ te'dya kurvantyanyamahībhr̥tām . asamyagvyayaśīlaistaiḥ kurvadbhiḥ satataṁ vyayam.
are now certainly serving other kings. Through those spendthrifts who constantly squander wealth,
sañcitaḥ so'tiduḥkhena kṣayaṁ kośo gamiṣyati . etaccānyacca satataṁ cintayāmāsa pārthivaḥ.
the treasury which I accumulated with great difficulty will surely be depleted.' The king continuously thought of these and other matters.
tatra viprāśramābhyāśe vaiśyamekaṁ dadarśa saḥ . sa pr̥ṣṭastena kastvaṁ bho hetuścāgamane'tra kaḥ.
Near the hermitage of the Brahmana, he saw a merchant, and asked him: 'Ho! Who are you? What is the reason for your coming here?
saśoka iva kasmāttvaṁ durmanā iva lakṣyase . ityākarṇya vacastasya bhūpateḥ praṇayoditam.
Why do you appear as if full of sorrow and depressed in mind?' Hearing these words of the king, spoken with affection,
pratyuvāca sa taṁ vaiśyaḥ praśrayāvanato nr̥pam.
the merchant bowed with respect and replied to the king.
vaiśya uvāca.
The merchant said:
samādhirnāma vaiśyo'hamutpanno dhanināṁ kule . 1..
I am a merchant named Samadhi, born in a wealthy family.
putradārairnirastaśca dhanalobhādasādhubhiḥ . vihīnaśca dhanairdāraiḥ putrairādāya me dhanam . 1..
I have been cast out by my sons and wife, who are wicked through greed of wealth. My wife and sons have misappropriated my riches, and made me devoid of wealth.
vanamabhyāgato duḥkhī nirastaścāptabandhubhiḥ . so'haṁ na vedmi putrāṇāṁ kuśalākuśalātmikām . 1..
Cast out by my trusted kinsmen, I have come to the forest grief-stricken. Dwelling here, I do not know anything as regards good or bad of my sons.
pravr̥ttiṁ svajanānāṁ ca dārāṇāṁ cātra saṁsthitaḥ . kiṁ nu teṣāṁ gr̥he kṣemamakṣemaṁ kiṁ nu sāmpratam . 1..
And of my kinsmen and wife. At present is welfare or ill-luck theirs at home?
kathaṁ te kiṁ nu sadvr̥ttā durvr̥ttāḥ kiṁ nu me sutāḥ . 1..
How are they? Are my sons living good or evil lives?
rājovāca . 1..
The king said:
yairnirasto bhavām̐llubdhaiḥ putradārādibhirdhanaiḥ . 1..
Those covetous folk, your sons, wife and others, who have deprived you of your wealth and cast you out.
teṣu kiṁ bhavataḥ snehamanubadhnāti mānasam . 1..
Why is your mind affectionately attached to them?
vaiśya uvāca . 1..
The merchant said:
evametadyathā prāha bhavānasmadgataṁ vacaḥ . 1..
This very thought has occurred to me, just as you have uttered it.
kiṁ karomi na badhnāti mama niṣṭhuratāṁ manaḥ . yaiḥ santyajya pitr̥snehaṁ dhanalubdhairnirākr̥taḥ . 1..
What can I do? My mind does not become hard; it bears deep affection to those very persons who have driven me out in their greed for wealth, abandoning love for a father.
patisvajanahārdaṁ ca hārditeṣveva me manaḥ . kimetannābhijānāmi jānannapi mahāmate . 1..
And attachment to one's master and kinsmen. I do not comprehend although I know it, O noble hearted king.
yatpremapravaṇaṁ cittaṁ viguṇeṣvapi bandhuṣu . teṣāṁ kr̥te me niḥśvāso daurmanasyaṁ ca jāyate . 1..
How it is that the mind is prone to love even towards worthless kinsmen. On account of them I heave sighs and also feel dejected.
karomi kiṁ yanna manasteṣvaprītiṣu niṣṭhuram . 1..
What can I do since my mind is not hard towards those unloving ones?
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca . 1..
Markandeya said:
tatastau sahitau vipra taṁ muniṁ samupasthitau . 1..
Then they both, the merchant and the king, approached the sage, O Brahmana.
samādhirnāma vaiśyo'sau sa ca pārthivasattamaḥ . kr̥tvā tu tau yathānyāyaṁ yathārhaṁ tena saṁvidam . 1..
The merchant named Samadhi and the noble king, having paid their respects to him as was proper and worthy.
upaviṣṭau kathāḥ kāściccakraturvaiśyapārthivau . 1..
They sat down and the merchant and the king began some conversations.
rājovāca . 1..
The king said:
bhagavaṁstvāmahaṁ praṣṭumicchāmyekaṁ vadasva tat . 1..
O venerable sir, I wish to ask you one thing, please tell me that.
duḥkhāya yanme manasaḥ svacittāyattatāṁ vinā . mamatvaṁ gatarājyasya rājyāṅgeṣvakhileṣvapi.
It is for my sorrow that my mind, without being under my control, has attachment to the entire kingdom and its limbs, even though I have lost it.
jānato'pi yathājñasya kimetanmunisattama . ayaṁ ca nikr̥taḥ putrairdārairbhr̥tyaistathojjhitaḥ.
O best of sages, what is this that happens to me, who know it, just as to an ignorant man? And this man is humiliated by his sons and wives, and forsaken by his servants.
svajanena ca santyaktasteṣu hārdī tathāpyati . evameṣa tathāhaṁ ca dvāvapyatyantaduḥkhitau.
Though abandoned by his own people, he is still exceedingly affectionate towards them. Thus both he and I are extremely unhappy.
dr̥ṣṭadoṣe'pi viṣaye mamatvākr̥ṣṭamānasau . tatkimetanmahābhāga yanmoho jñāninorapi.
Our minds are drawn by attachment to objects whose defects we clearly see. O illustrious one, what is this delusion that afflicts even those who have knowledge?
mamāsya ca bhavatyeṣā vivekāndhasya mūḍhatā.
This bewilderment, which blinds discrimination, happens to both me and him.
r̥ṣiruvāca.
The sage said:
jñānamasti samastasya jantorviṣayagocare.
Every living being has knowledge regarding the objects of the senses.
viṣayāśca mahābhāga yānti caivaṁ pr̥thakpr̥thak . divāndhāḥ prāṇinaḥ kecidrātrāvandhāstathāpare.
And the objects of senses, O illustrious one, manifest in various ways. Some beings are blind by day, and others are blind by night.
keciddivā tathā rātrau prāṇinastulyadr̥ṣṭayaḥ . jñānino manujāḥ satyaṁ kiṁ tu te na hi kevalam.
Some beings have equal sight both by day and by night. Human beings are certainly endowed with knowledge, but they are not the only ones.
yato hi jñāninaḥ sarve paśupakṣimr̥gādayaḥ . jñānaṁ ca tanmanuṣyāṇāṁ yatteṣāṁ mr̥gapakṣiṇām.
For cattle, birds, animals and other creatures also possess knowledge. The knowledge that men have, birds and beasts too have.
manuṣyāṇāṁ ca yatteṣāṁ tulyamanyattathobhayoḥ . jñāne'pi sati paśyaitān pataṅgāñchāvacañcuṣu.
And what they have, men also possess; and the rest is common to both. Look at these birds, which though they possess knowledge, drop grains into the beaks of their young ones.
kaṇamokṣādr̥tān mohātpīḍyamānānapi kṣudhā . mānuṣā manujavyāghra sābhilāṣāḥ sutān prati.
Though pecked by hunger themselves, they do so out of delusion. Human beings, O tiger among men, are attached to their children.
lobhāt pratyupakārāya nanvetān kiṁ na paśyasi . tathāpi mamatāvartte mohagarte nipātitāḥ.
Out of greed for return good deeds. Do you not see this? Even so men are hurled into the whirlpool of attachment, the pit of delusion.
mahāmāyāprabhāveṇa saṁsārasthitikāriṇā . tannātra vismayaḥ kāryo yoganidrā jagatpateḥ.
Through the power of Mahamaya, who makes the existence of the world possible. Marvel not at this. This Yoganidra of the lord of the world...
mahāmāyā hareścaiṣā tayā sammohyate jagat . jñānināmapi cetāṁsi devī bhagavatī hi sā.
...is the Mahamaya of Hari, by whom the world is deluded. Verily she, the Devi, forcibly draws the minds of even the wise.
balādākr̥ṣya mohāya mahāmāyā prayacchati . tayā visr̥jyate viśvaṁ jagadetaccarācaram.
And throws them into delusion. She creates this entire universe, both moving and unmoving.
saiṣā prasannā varadā nr̥ṇāṁ bhavati muktaye . sā vidyā paramā mukterhetubhūtā sanātanī.
It is she who, when propitious, becomes a boon-giver to human beings for their final liberation. She is the supreme knowledge, the eternal cause of liberation.
saṁsārabandhahetuśca saiva sarveśvareśvarī.
She is also the cause of the bondage of transmigration, and the sovereign over all lords.
rājovāca.
The king said:
bhagavan kā hi sā devī mahāmāyeti yāṁ bhavān.
Venerable sir, who is that Devi whom you call Mahamaya?
yatprabhāvā ca sā devī yatsvarūpā yadudbhavā . 1..
What is the power of that Devi, what is her form, and what is her origin?
tatsarvaṁ śrotumicchāmi tvatto brahmavidāṁ vara . 1..
All that I wish to hear from you, O you supreme among the knowers of Brahman.
r̥ṣiruvāca . 1..
The Rishi said:
nityaiva sā jaganmūrtistayā sarvamidaṁ tatam . 1..
She is eternal, embodied as the universe. By her all this is pervaded.
tathāpi tatsamutpattirbahudhā śrūyatāṁ mama . devānāṁ kāryasiddhyarthamāvirbhavati sā yadā . 1..
Nevertheless she incarnates in manifold ways; hear it from me. When she manifests herself in order to accomplish the purposes of the devas,
utpanneti tadā loke sā nityāpyabhidhīyate . yoganidrāṁ yadā viṣṇurjagatyekārṇavīkr̥te . 1..
she is said to be born in the world, though she is eternal. When the universe was converted into one ocean,
āstīrya śeṣamabhajat kalpānte bhagavān prabhuḥ . tadā dvāvasurau ghorau vikhyātau madhukaiṭabhau . 1..
and the adorable Vishnu ji stretched out on Sesa and took the mystic slumber at the end of a kalpa, then two terrible asuras, the well-known Madhu and Kaitabha,
viṣṇukarṇamalodbhūtau hantuṁ brahmāṇamudyatau . sa nābhikamale viṣṇoḥ sthito brahmā prajāpatiḥ . 1..
sprung into being from the dirt of Vishnu's ears, sought to slay Brahma; Brahma, the father of beings, was sitting in the lotus that came out from Vishnu's navel.
dr̥ṣṭvā tāvasurau cograu prasuptaṁ ca janārdanam . tuṣṭāva yoganidrāṁ tāmekāgrahr̥dayaḥ sthitaḥ . 1..
Seeing these two fierce asuras and Janardhana asleep, Brahma with concentrated mind extolled Yoganidra,
vibodhanārthāya harerharinetrakr̥tālayām . viśveśvarīṁ jagaddhātrīṁ sthitisaṁhārakāriṇīm . 1..
dwelling in Hari's eyes, with a view to awakening Hari. He extolled the Queen of the universe, the supporter of the worlds, the cause of the sustenance and dissolution alike,
nidrāṁ bhagavatīṁ viṣṇoratulāṁ tejasaḥ prabhuḥ . 1..
the incomparable Devi of sleep of Vishnu, the lord of light.
brahmovāca . 1..
Brahma said:
tvaṁ svāhā tvaṁ svadhā tvaṁ hi vaṣaṭkāraḥ svarātmikā . 1..
You are Svaha and Svadha. You are verily the Vasatkara and embodiment of Svara.
sudhā tvamakṣare nitye tridhā mātrātmikā sthitā . ardhamātrā sthitā nityā yānuccāryāviśeṣataḥ . 1..
You are the nectar. O eternal and imperishable One, you are the embodiment of the threefold matras. You are half a matra, though eternal. You are verily that which cannot be uttered specifically.
tvameva sandhyā sāvitrī tvaṁ devi jananī parā . tvayaitaddhāryate viśvaṁ tvayaitat sr̥jyate jagat . 1..
You are Savitri and the supreme Mother of the devas. By you this universe is borne, by you this world is created.
tvayaitat pālyate devi tvamatsyante ca sarvadā . visr̥ṣṭau sr̥ṣṭirūpā tvaṁ sthitirūpā ca pālane . 1..
By you it is protected, O Devi, and you always consume it at the end. O you who are always of the form of the whole world, at the time of creation you are of the form of the creative force, at the time of sustentation you are of the form of the protective power,
tathā saṁhr̥tirūpānte jagato'sya jaganmaye . mahāvidyā mahāmāyā mahāmedhā mahāsmr̥tiḥ . 1..
and at the time of the dissolution of the world, you are of the form of the destructive power. You are the supreme knowledge, the supreme Maya, the supreme intellect, the supreme memory,
mahāmohā ca bhavatī mahādevī maheśvarī . prakr̥tistvaṁ ca sarvasya guṇatrayavibhāvinī . 1..
the supreme delusion, the supreme Devi, and the supreme ruler. You are the primordial cause of everything, bringing into force the three qualities.
kālarātrirmahārātrirmoharātriśca dāruṇā . tvaṁ śrīstvamīśvarī tvaṁ hrīstvaṁ buddhirbodhalakṣaṇā . 1..
You are the dark night of periodic dissolution, the great night of final dissolution, and the terrible night of delusion. You are the devi of good fortune, the supreme ruler, modesty, intelligence characterized by knowledge,
lajjā puṣṭistathā tuṣṭistvaṁ śāntiḥ kṣāntireva ca . khaḍginī śūlinī ghorā gadinī cakriṇī tathā . 1..
bashfulness, nourishment, contentment, tranquility, and forbearance. Armed with sword, spear, club, discus, you are terrible.
śaṅkhinī cāpinī bāṇabhuśuṇḍīparighāyudhā . saumyā saumyatarāśeṣasaumyebhyastvatisundarī . 1..
Armed with the conch, bow, arrows, sling, and mace, You are gentle, yea, more gentle than all other gentle things, and exceedingly beautiful.
parāparāṇāṁ paramā tvameva parameśvarī . yacca kiñcitkvacidvastu sadasadvākhilātmike . 1..
You are the Supreme Empress, higher than the highest and the lowest. O Soul of all things, whatever or wherever anything exists, whether real or unreal,
tasya sarvasya yā śaktiḥ sā tvaṁ kiṁ stūyase mayā . yayā tvayā jagatsraṣṭā jagatpātyatti yo jagat . 1..
of all that You are the power; how then can You be extolled by me? By You, even He who creates, preserves, and consumes the universe,
so'pi nidrāvaśaṁ nītaḥ kastvāṁ stotumiheśvaraḥ . viṣṇuḥ śarīragrahaṇamahamīśāna eva ca . 1..
has been brought under the influence of sleep; who then is capable of praising You here? Since Vishnu, myself (Brahma), and Shiva (Ishana),
kāritāste yato'tastvāṁ kaḥ stotuṁ śaktimān bhavet . sā tvamitthaṁ prabhāvaiḥ svairudārairdevi saṁstutā . 1..
have been made by You to assume physical embodiment, who indeed has the capacity to praise You? Being thus lauded, O Devi, with Your exalted glories,
mohayaitau durādharṣāvasurau madhukaiṭabhau . prabodhaṁ ca jagatsvāmī nīyatāmacyuto laghu . 1..
delude these two invincible asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, and quickly awaken the Sovereign of the cosmos, Achyuta.
bodhaśca kriyatāmasya hantumetau mahāsurau . 1..
And awaken in Him the resolve to destroy these two mighty asuras.
r̥ṣiruvāca . 1..
The Rishi said:
evaṁ stutā tadā devī tāmasī tatra vedhasā . 1..
Thus extolled then by the Creator (Brahma), the devi Tamasi (presiding over sleep and darkness),
viṣṇoḥ prabodhanārthāya nihantuṁ madhukaiṭabhau . netrāsyanāsikābāhuhr̥dayebhyastathorasaḥ . 1..
for the purpose of waking Vishnu to slay Madhu and Kaitabha, came forth from His eyes, mouth, nostrils, arms, heart, and chest,
nirgamya darśane tasthau brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ . uttasthau ca jagannāthastayā mukto janārdanaḥ . 1..
and appeared before Brahma of unmanifest origin. Released by Her, Janardana, the lord of the universe, awoke and arose.
ekārṇave'hiśayanāttataḥ sa dadr̥śe ca tau . madhukaiṭabhau durātmānāvativīryaparākramau . 1..
From His serpent-couch on the singular cosmic ocean, He then saw those two evil-minded asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, possessing tremendous prowess and valour,
krodharaktekṣaṇāvattuṁ brahmāṇaṁ janitodyamau . samutthāya tatastābhyāṁ yuyudhe bhagavān hariḥ . 1..
their eyes bloodshot with rage, striving to devour Brahma. Getting up, the blessed Hari joined battle with the two of them.
pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi bāhupraharaṇo vibhuḥ . tāvapyatibalonmattau mahāmāyāvimohitau . 1..
For five thousand years the omnipresent Hari wrestled with them using His arms as weapons, while they, frenzied by immense strength and deluded by Mahamaya,
uktavantau varo'smatto vriyatāmiti keśavam . 1..
called out to Keshava: 'Ask a boon from us!'
śrībhagavānuvāca . 1..
Shri Bhagavan said:
bhavetāmadya me tuṣṭau mama vadhyāvubhāvapi . 1..
'If you are both pleased with Me today, let both of you be slain by My hands!'
kimanyena vareṇātra etāvaddhi vr̥taṁ mayā . 1..
'What need is there for any other boon here? This alone is the choice granted by Me.'
r̥ṣiruvāca . 1..
The Rishi said:
vañcitābhyāmiti tadā sarvamāpomayaṁ jagat . 1..
Having been outwitted thus, and seeing the entire world inundated with water,
āvāṁ jahi na yatrorvī salilena pariplutā . 1..
"Slay us at the spot where the earth is not flooded with water."
r̥ṣiruvāca . 1..
The Rishi said:
tathetyuktvā bhagavatā śaṅkhacakragadābhr̥tā . kr̥tvā cakreṇa vai chinne jaghane śirasī tayoḥ . 1..
Saying 'Be it so', Bhagavan (Vishnu), the great wielder of conch, discus and mace, took them on His loins and there severed their heads with His discus.
evameṣā samutpannā brahmaṇā saṁstutā svayam . prabhāvamasyā devyāstu bhūyaḥ śr̥ṇu vadāmi te . 1..
Thus she (Mahamaya) herself appeared when praised by Brahma. Now listen again the glory of this Devi. I tell you.