maarkandey uvaach.
Markandeya said:
saavarnih sooryatanayo yo manuh kathyate'shtamah . nishaamay tadutpattin vistaraad gadato mam.
Savarni, the son of Surya, is called the eighth Manu. Listen, while I describe his birth in detail.
mahaamaayaanubhaaven yathaa manvantaraadhipah . s babhoov mahaabhaagah saavarnistanayo raveh.
Hear how that illustrious Savarni, the son of the Sun god, became the lord of the Manvantara by the grace of Mahamaya.
svaarochishe'ntare poorvan chaitravanshasamudbhavah . suratho naam raajaabhootsamaste kshitimandale.
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.
tasy paalayatah samyak prajaah putraanivaurasaan . babhoovuh shatravo bhoopaah kolaavidhvansinastadaa.
While he protected his subjects righteously like his own children, the kings who were the destroyers of the Kolas became his enemies.
tasy tairabhavad yuddhamatiprabaladandinah . nyoonairapi s tairyuddhe kolaavidhvansibhirjitah.
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.
tatah svapuramaayaato nijadeshaadhipo'bhavat . aakraantah s mahaabhaagastaistadaa prabalaaribhih.
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.
amaatyairbalibhirdushtairdurbalasy duraatmabhih . kosho balan chaapahritan tatraapi svapure tatah.
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 mrigayaavyaajen hritasvaamyah s bhoopatih . ekaakee hayamaaruhy jagaam gahanan vanam.
Thereafter, deprived of his sovereignty, the king mounted a horse under the pretext of hunting and went alone into a dense forest.
s tatraashramamadraaksheed dvijavaryasy medhasah . prashaantashvaapadaakeernan munishishyopashobhitam.
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 kanchit s kaalan ch muninaa ten satkritah . itashchaitashch vicharanstasmin munivaraashrame.
Entertained by that sage, he stayed for some time, wandering hither and thither in that excellent hermitage.
so'chintayat tadaa tatr mamatvaakrishtachetanah . matpoorvaih paalitan poorvan mayaa heenan puran hi tat.
Then, his mind drawn by attachment, he thought: 'That city, formerly protected by my ancestors, is now bereft of me.
madbhrityaistairasadvrittairdharmatah paalyate n vaa . n jaane s pradhaano me shoorahastee sadaamadah.
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,
mam vairivashan yaatah kaan bhogaanupalapsyate . ye mamaanugataa nityan prasaadadhanabhojanaih.
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,
anuvrittin dhruvan te'dy kurvantyanyamaheebhritaam . asamyagvyayasheelaistaih kurvadbhih satatan vyayam.
are now certainly serving other kings. Through those spendthrifts who constantly squander wealth,
sanchitah so'tiduhkhen kshayan kosho gamishyati . etachchaanyachch satatan chintayaamaas paarthivah.
the treasury which I accumulated with great difficulty will surely be depleted.' The king continuously thought of these and other matters.
tatr vipraashramaabhyaashe vaishyamekan dadarsh sah . s prishtasten kastvan bho hetushchaagamane'tr kah.
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?
sashok iv kasmaattvan durmanaa iv lakshyase . ityaakarny vachastasy bhoopateh pranayoditam.
Why do you appear as if full of sorrow and depressed in mind?' Hearing these words of the king, spoken with affection,
pratyuvaach s tan vaishyah prashrayaavanato nripam.
the merchant bowed with respect and replied to the king.
vaishy uvaach.
The merchant said:
samaadhirnaam vaishyo'hamutpanno dhaninaan kule . 1..
I am a merchant named Samadhi, born in a wealthy family.
putradaarairnirastashch dhanalobhaadasaadhubhih . viheenashch dhanairdaaraih putrairaadaay 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.
vanamabhyaagato duhkhee nirastashchaaptabandhubhih . so'han n vedmi putraanaan kushalaakushalaatmikaam . 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.
pravrittin svajanaanaan ch daaraanaan chaatr sansthitah . kin nu teshaan grihe kshemamaksheman kin nu saampratam . 1..
And of my kinsmen and wife. At present is welfare or ill-luck theirs at home?
kathan te kin nu sadvrittaa durvrittaah kin nu me sutaah . 1..
How are they? Are my sons living good or evil lives?
raajovaach . 1..
The king said:
yairnirasto bhavaanllubdhaih putradaaraadibhirdhanaih . 1..
Those covetous folk, your sons, wife and others, who have deprived you of your wealth and cast you out.
teshu kin bhavatah snehamanubadhnaati maanasam . 1..
Why is your mind affectionately attached to them?
vaishy uvaach . 1..
The merchant said:
evametadyathaa praah bhavaanasmadgatan vachah . 1..
This very thought has occurred to me, just as you have uttered it.
kin karomi n badhnaati mam nishthurataan manah . yaih santyajy pitrisnehan dhanalubdhairniraakritah . 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.
patisvajanahaardan ch haarditeshvev me manah . kimetannaabhijaanaami jaanannapi mahaamate . 1..
And attachment to one's master and kinsmen. I do not comprehend although I know it, O noble hearted king.
yatpremapravanan chittan viguneshvapi bandhushu . teshaan krite me nihshvaaso daurmanasyan ch jaayate . 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 kin yann manasteshvapreetishu nishthuram . 1..
What can I do since my mind is not hard towards those unloving ones?
maarkandey uvaach . 1..
Markandeya said:
tatastau sahitau vipr tan munin samupasthitau . 1..
Then they both, the merchant and the king, approached the sage, O Brahmana.
samaadhirnaam vaishyo'sau s ch paarthivasattamah . kritvaa tu tau yathaanyaayan yathaarhan ten sanvidam . 1..
The merchant named Samadhi and the noble king, having paid their respects to him as was proper and worthy.
upavishtau kathaah kaashchichchakraturvaishyapaarthivau . 1..
They sat down and the merchant and the king began some conversations.
raajovaach . 1..
The king said:
bhagavanstvaamahan prashtumichchhaamyekan vadasv tat . 1..
O venerable sir, I wish to ask you one thing, please tell me that.
duhkhaay yanme manasah svachittaayattataan vinaa . mamatvan gataraajyasy raajyaangeshvakhileshvapi.
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.
jaanato'pi yathaajnasy kimetanmunisattam . ayan ch nikritah putrairdaarairbhrityaistathojjhitah.
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.
svajanen ch santyaktasteshu haardee tathaapyati . evamesh tathaahan ch dvaavapyatyantaduhkhitau.
Though abandoned by his own people, he is still exceedingly affectionate towards them. Thus both he and I are extremely unhappy.
drishtadoshe'pi vishaye mamatvaakrishtamaanasau . tatkimetanmahaabhaag yanmoho jnaaninorapi.
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?
mamaasy ch bhavatyeshaa vivekaandhasy moodhataa.
This bewilderment, which blinds discrimination, happens to both me and him.
rishiruvaach.
The sage said:
jnaanamasti samastasy jantorvishayagochare.
Every living being has knowledge regarding the objects of the senses.
vishayaashch mahaabhaag yaanti chaivan prithakprithak . divaandhaah praaninah kechidraatraavandhaastathaapare.
And the objects of senses, O illustrious one, manifest in various ways. Some beings are blind by day, and others are blind by night.
kechiddivaa tathaa raatrau praaninastulyadrishtayah . jnaanino manujaah satyan kin tu te n 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 jnaaninah sarve pashupakshimrigaadayah . jnaanan ch tanmanushyaanaan yatteshaan mrigapakshinaam.
For cattle, birds, animals and other creatures also possess knowledge. The knowledge that men have, birds and beasts too have.
manushyaanaan ch yatteshaan tulyamanyattathobhayoh . jnaane'pi sati pashyaitaan patangaanchhaavachanchushu.
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.
kanamokshaadritaan mohaatpeedyamaanaanapi kshudhaa . maanushaa manujavyaaghr saabhilaashaah sutaan prati.
Though pecked by hunger themselves, they do so out of delusion. Human beings, O tiger among men, are attached to their children.
lobhaat pratyupakaaraay nanvetaan kin n pashyasi . tathaapi mamataavartte mohagarte nipaatitaah.
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.
mahaamaayaaprabhaaven sansaarasthitikaarinaa . tannaatr vismayah kaaryo yoganidraa jagatpateh.
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...
mahaamaayaa hareshchaishaa tayaa sammohyate jagat . jnaaninaamapi chetaansi devee bhagavatee hi saa.
...is the Mahamaya of Hari, by whom the world is deluded. Verily she, the Devi, forcibly draws the minds of even the wise.
balaadaakrishy mohaay mahaamaayaa prayachchhati . tayaa visrijyate vishvan jagadetachcharaacharam.
And throws them into delusion. She creates this entire universe, both moving and unmoving.
saishaa prasannaa varadaa nrinaan bhavati muktaye . saa vidyaa paramaa mukterhetubhootaa sanaatanee.
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.
sansaarabandhahetushch saiv sarveshvareshvaree.
She is also the cause of the bondage of transmigration, and the sovereign over all lords.
raajovaach.
The king said:
bhagavan kaa hi saa devee mahaamaayeti yaan bhavaan.
Venerable sir, who is that Devi whom you call Mahamaya?
yatprabhaavaa ch saa devee yatsvaroopaa yadudbhavaa . 1..
What is the power of that Devi, what is her form, and what is her origin?
tatsarvan shrotumichchhaami tvatto brahmavidaan var . 1..
All that I wish to hear from you, O you supreme among the knowers of Brahman.
rishiruvaach . 1..
The Rishi said:
nityaiv saa jaganmoortistayaa sarvamidan tatam . 1..
She is eternal, embodied as the universe. By her all this is pervaded.
tathaapi tatsamutpattirbahudhaa shrooyataan mam . devaanaan kaaryasiddhyarthamaavirbhavati saa yadaa . 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 tadaa loke saa nityaapyabhidheeyate . yoganidraan yadaa vishnurjagatyekaarnaveekrite . 1..
she is said to be born in the world, though she is eternal. When the universe was converted into one ocean,
aasteery sheshamabhajat kalpaante bhagavaan prabhuh . tadaa dvaavasurau ghorau vikhyaatau madhukaitabhau . 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,
vishnukarnamalodbhootau hantun brahmaanamudyatau . s naabhikamale vishnoh sthito brahmaa prajaapatih . 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.
drishtvaa taavasurau chograu prasuptan ch janaardanam . tushtaav yoganidraan taamekaagrahridayah sthitah . 1..
Seeing these two fierce asuras and Janardhana asleep, Brahma with concentrated mind extolled Yoganidra,
vibodhanaarthaay harerharinetrakritaalayaam . vishveshvareen jagaddhaatreen sthitisanhaarakaarineem . 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,
nidraan bhagavateen vishnoratulaan tejasah prabhuh . 1..
the incomparable Devi of sleep of Vishnu, the lord of light.
brahmovaach . 1..
Brahma said:
tvan svaahaa tvan svadhaa tvan hi vashatkaarah svaraatmikaa . 1..
You are Svaha and Svadha. You are verily the Vasatkara and embodiment of Svara.
sudhaa tvamakshare nitye tridhaa maatraatmikaa sthitaa . ardhamaatraa sthitaa nityaa yaanuchchaaryaavisheshatah . 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.
tvamev sandhyaa saavitree tvan devi jananee paraa . tvayaitaddhaaryate vishvan tvayaitat srijyate 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 paalyate devi tvamatsyante ch sarvadaa . visrishtau srishtiroopaa tvan sthitiroopaa ch paalane . 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,
tathaa sanhritiroopaante jagato'sy jaganmaye . mahaavidyaa mahaamaayaa mahaamedhaa mahaasmritih . 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,
mahaamohaa ch bhavatee mahaadevee maheshvaree . prakritistvan ch sarvasy gunatrayavibhaavinee . 1..
the supreme delusion, the supreme Devi, and the supreme ruler. You are the primordial cause of everything, bringing into force the three qualities.
kaalaraatrirmahaaraatrirmoharaatrishch daarunaa . tvan shreestvameeshvaree tvan hreestvan buddhirbodhalakshanaa . 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,
lajjaa pushtistathaa tushtistvan shaantih kshaantirev ch . khadginee shoolinee ghoraa gadinee chakrinee tathaa . 1..
bashfulness, nourishment, contentment, tranquility, and forbearance. Armed with sword, spear, club, discus, you are terrible.
shankhinee chaapinee baanabhushundeeparighaayudhaa . saumyaa saumyataraasheshasaumyebhyastvatisundaree . 1..
Armed with the conch, bow, arrows, sling, and mace, You are gentle, yea, more gentle than all other gentle things, and exceedingly beautiful.
paraaparaanaan paramaa tvamev parameshvaree . yachch kinchitkvachidvastu sadasadvaakhilaatmike . 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,
tasy sarvasy yaa shaktih saa tvan kin stooyase mayaa . yayaa tvayaa jagatsrashtaa jagatpaatyatti 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 nidraavashan neetah kastvaan stotumiheshvarah . vishnuh shareeragrahanamahameeshaan ev ch . 1..
has been brought under the influence of sleep; who then is capable of praising You here? Since Vishnu, myself (Brahma), and Shiva (Ishana),
kaaritaaste yato'tastvaan kah stotun shaktimaan bhavet . saa tvamitthan prabhaavaih svairudaarairdevi sanstutaa . 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 duraadharshaavasurau madhukaitabhau . prabodhan ch jagatsvaamee neeyataamachyuto laghu . 1..
delude these two invincible asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, and quickly awaken the Sovereign of the cosmos, Achyuta.
bodhashch kriyataamasy hantumetau mahaasurau . 1..
And awaken in Him the resolve to destroy these two mighty asuras.
rishiruvaach . 1..
The Rishi said:
evan stutaa tadaa devee taamasee tatr vedhasaa . 1..
Thus extolled then by the Creator (Brahma), the devi Tamasi (presiding over sleep and darkness),
vishnoh prabodhanaarthaay nihantun madhukaitabhau . netraasyanaasikaabaahuhridayebhyastathorasah . 1..
for the purpose of waking Vishnu to slay Madhu and Kaitabha, came forth from His eyes, mouth, nostrils, arms, heart, and chest,
nirgamy darshane tasthau brahmano'vyaktajanmanah . uttasthau ch jagannaathastayaa mukto janaardanah . 1..
and appeared before Brahma of unmanifest origin. Released by Her, Janardana, the lord of the universe, awoke and arose.
ekaarnave'hishayanaattatah s dadrishe ch tau . madhukaitabhau duraatmaanaavativeeryaparaakramau . 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,
krodharaktekshanaavattun brahmaanan janitodyamau . samutthaay tatastaabhyaan yuyudhe bhagavaan harih . 1..
their eyes bloodshot with rage, striving to devour Brahma. Getting up, the blessed Hari joined battle with the two of them.
panchavarshasahasraani baahupraharano vibhuh . taavapyatibalonmattau mahaamaayaavimohitau . 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 vriyataamiti keshavam . 1..
called out to Keshava: 'Ask a boon from us!'
shreebhagavaanuvaach . 1..
Shri Bhagavan said:
bhavetaamady me tushtau mam vadhyaavubhaavapi . 1..
'If you are both pleased with Me today, let both of you be slain by My hands!'
kimanyen varenaatr etaavaddhi vritan mayaa . 1..
'What need is there for any other boon here? This alone is the choice granted by Me.'
rishiruvaach . 1..
The Rishi said:
vanchitaabhyaamiti tadaa sarvamaapomayan jagat . 1..
Having been outwitted thus, and seeing the entire world inundated with water,
aavaan jahi n yatrorvee salilen pariplutaa . 1..
"Slay us at the spot where the earth is not flooded with water."
rishiruvaach . 1..
The Rishi said:
tathetyuktvaa bhagavataa shankhachakragadaabhritaa . kritvaa chakren vai chhinne jaghane shirasee tayoh . 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.
evameshaa samutpannaa brahmanaa sanstutaa svayam . prabhaavamasyaa devyaastu bhooyah shrinu vadaami te . 1..
Thus she (Mahamaya) herself appeared when praised by Brahma. Now listen again the glory of this Devi. I tell you.