Source
Texts:
Lord
S'iva and Umâ Glorify Mârkandeya
Rishi
Text
1
S'rî
Sûta said: "He this way experiencing the might of the
yoga-mâyâ as arranged by Nârâyana, went
only for the shelter of Him.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: The Supreme Lord
Nârâyana had arranged this opulent display of
His bewildering potency. Mârkandeya Rishi, having
experienced it, took shelter of the Lord.
Text
2
S'rî
Mârkandeya said [to this]: 'I am surrendered to
the soles of the feet of You who bring fearlessness to the
surrendered, o Lord of whom the illusory potency, in the
appearance of knowledge, even bewilders the
wise'."
S'rî
Mârkandeya said: O Lord Hari, I take shelter of the
soles of Your lotus feet, which bestow fearlessness upon all
who surrender to them. Even the great demigods are
bewildered by Your illusory energy, which appears to them in
the guise of knowledge.
Text
3
Sûta
said: "The great lord [S'iva] accompanied by
Rudrânî [Umâ] and surrounded by his
entourage, saw, traveling though the sky on his bull, him thus
absorbed in trance.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Lord Rudra, traveling in the sky
on his bull and accompanied by his consort,
Rudrânî, as well as his personal associates,
observed Mârkandeya in trance.
Text
4-5
Umâ
observing that seer then said to Giris'a:
'Look at this man of learning, who motionless with his body,
senses and mind is as calm as the water and the fish of the
ocean with the wind laid down. Please, o You who art the
bestower of the perfection of penance, make it true to
him.'
Goddess
Umâ, seeing the sage, addressed Lord Giris'a: My lord,
just see this learned brâhmana, his body, mind and
senses motionless in trance. He is as calm as the waters of
the ocean when the wind has ceased and the fish remain
still. Therefore, my lord, since you bestow perfection on
the performers of austerity, please award this sage the
perfection that is obviously due him.
Text
6
The
great lord said: 'I'm sure the brahmin seer does not desire any
benedictions in any field, not even liberation; he has achieved
the transcendental devotional service for the Supreme Lord, the
Inexhaustible Original Person.
Lord
S'iva replied: Surely this saintly brâhmana does not
desire any benediction, not even liberation itself, for he
has attained pure devotional service unto the inexhaustible
Personality of Godhead.
Text
7
Nevertheless,
Bhavanî, let's talk with this pure devotee, it is indeed
man's highest achievement to associate with the
saintly'."
Still,
my dear Bhavânî, let us talk with this saintly
personality. After all, association with saintly devotees is
man's highest achievement.
Text
8
Sûta
said: "Thus having spoken went he, the master of all knowledge,
the controller of all the embodied and the great lord and
shelter of the righteous, to him.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Having spoken thus, Lord
S'ankara-the shelter of pure souls, master of all spiritual
sciences and controller of all embodied living
beings-approached the sage.
Text
9
He,
having arrested the functions of his mind, had no knowledge,
nor of himself or the outer world, nor of the arrival of the
two powers of control over the universe in
person.
Because
Mârkandeya's material mind had stopped functioning,
the sage failed to notice that Lord S'iva and his wife, the
controllers of the universe, had personally come to see him.
Mârkandeya was so absorbed in meditation that he was
unaware of either himself or the external world.
Text
10
Understanding
that, entered Giris'a the Controller, the great lord, by his
mystic potency the ethereal secrecy of him, just as the wind
passes through an opening.
Understanding
the situation very well, the powerful Lord S'iva employed
his mystic power to enter within the sky of
Mârkandeya's heart, just as the wind passes through an
opening.
Text
11 - 13
Within
himself then arrived S'iva with blonde locks like lightening,
having three eyes and ten arms, rising as tall as the sun.
Together with a tigerskin as his garment, exhibited he his bow
and trident, arrows and sword, shield, prayer beads, damaru (a
small drum), ax and skull. Seeing him manifesting suddenly in
his heart desisted the sage thereupon from his trance surprised
wondering: 'Who is this and from where did he
arrive?'
S'rî
Mârkandeya saw Lord S'iva suddenly appear within his
heart. Lord S'iva's golden hair resembled lightning, and he
had three eyes, ten arms and a tall body that shone like the
rising sun. He wore a tiger skin, and he carried a trident,
a bow, arrows, a sword and a shield, along with prayer
beads, a damaru drum, a skull and an ax. Astonished, the
sage came out of his trance and thought, "Who is this, and
where has he come from?"
Text
14
Opening
his eyes and seeing that lord Rudra had arrived with Umâ
and his associates, offered the sage with his head the one guru
of the three worlds his obeisances.
Opening
his eyes, the sage saw Lord Rudra, the spiritual master of
the three worlds, together with Umâ and Rudra's
followers. Mârkandeya then offered his respectful
obeisances by bowing his head.
Text
15
Him
together with his company and Umâ he offered worship with
words of welcome, sitting places, water for the feet, water to
drink, perfumed oil, garlands, incense and
lamps.
Mârkandeya
worshiped Lord S'iva, along with Umâ and S'iva's
associates, by offering them words of welcome, sitting
places, water for washing their feet, scented drinking
water, fragrant oils, flower garlands and ârati
lamps.
Text
16
He
said: 'O mighty one, what can I do for you, o Lord, by whom,
fully satisfied in your own experience of ecstasy, the entire
world indeed is pacified?
Mârkandeya
said: O mighty lord, what can I possibly do for you, who are
fully satisfied by your own ecstasy? Indeed, by your mercy
you satisfy this entire world.
Text
17
My
respects for you devoted to the mode of ignorance, to you
terrible in choosing the mode of passion and to you giving
pleasure in favor of the mode of goodness'."
Again
and again I offer my obeisances unto you, O all-auspicious
transcendental personality. As the lord of goodness you give
pleasure, in contact with the mode of passion you appear
most fearful, and you also associate with the mode of
ignorance.
Text
18
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: "Praised with these words spoke he,
the mighty lord, the foremost of the demigods and shelter of
the truthful, perfectly satisfied, happy of mind smiling at
him.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Lord S'iva, the foremost demigod
and the shelter of the saintly devotees, was satisfied by
Mârkandeya's praise. Pleased, he smiled and addressed
the sage.
Text
19
The
great lord said: 'Please, as you like, choose a boon from us
the three [guna-avatâra-]
lords in control by whom a mortal being in audience achieves
immortality.
Lord
S'iva said: Please ask me for some benediction, since among
all givers of benedictions, we three-Brahmâ, Vishnu
and I-are the best. Seeing us never goes in vain, because
simply by seeing us a mortal achieves immortality.
Text
20-21
The
local rulers and inhabitants of all worlds, I, the great lord
Brahmâ and Hari the Controller in person, glorify,
worship and sit near to those brahmins who are saintly,
peaceful, free from material attachment, of care for all living
beings and who, free from enmity with an equal vision, are
single-minded devotees of us.
The
inhabitants and ruling demigods of all planets, along with
Lord Brahmâ, the Supreme Lord Hari and I, glorify,
worship and assist those brâhmanas who are saintly,
always peaceful, free of material attachment, compassionate
to all living beings, purely devoted to us, devoid of hatred
and endowed with equal vision.
Text
22
They do not
even acknowledge the slightest difference between me, the
Infallible One and the one unborn, nor between themselves and
other people and for that reason we do honor
you.
These
devotees do not differentiate between Lord Vishnu, Lord
Brahmâ and me, nor do they differentiate between
themselves and other living beings. Therefore, because you
are this kind of saintly devotee, we worship you.
Text
23
Mere
bodies of water are no holy places and deities on themselves
are devoid of life; they cleanse the soul only after a long
time, but you do so by simply being seen [see also
10.48:
31].
Mere
bodies of water do not constitute holy places, nor are
lifeless statues of the demigods actual worshipable deities.
Because external vision fails to appreciate the higher
essence of the holy rivers and the demigods, these purify
only after a considerable time. But devotees like you purify
immediately, just by being seen.
Text
24
The
brahmins who carry our forms represented by the three Vedas,
and who by penances, study and yogic concentration
[samyama]
are absorbed in the True Self, we do offer our
respects.
By
meditating upon the Supreme Soul, performing austerities,
engaging in Vedic study and following regulative principles,
the brâhmanas sustain within themselves the three
Vedas, which are nondifferent from Lord Vishnu, Lord
Brahmâ and me. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto
the brâhmanas.
Text
25
Even
the greatest sinners and outcastes find purification by seeing
you and hearing about you, and what to speak of directly
speaking to you? [see
also 7.14:
17,
10.64:
41-42]"
Even
the worst sinners and social outcastes are purified just by
hearing about or seeing personalities like you. Imagine,
then, how purified they become by directly speaking with
you.
Text
26
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: "Thus filled with the words from the
one decorated with the moon reflecting essence of the religion
was the sage, with his ears drinking in the reservoir of
nectar, not sated.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Drinking with his ears Lord
S'iva's nectarean words, full of the confidential essence of
religion, Mârkandeya Rishi could not be
satiated.
Text
27
He
who of the mâyâ of Vishnu made to wander for a long
time was worn out terribly, saw a heap of trouble undone by
lord S'iva's nectarine words and addressed him.
Mârkandeya,
having been forced by Lord Vishnu's illusory energy to
wander about for a long time in the water of dissolution,
had become extremely exhausted. But Lord S'iva's words of
nectar vanquished his accumulated suffering. Thus he
addressed Lord S'iva.
Text
28
S'rî
Mârkandeya said: 'Ah, how inconceivable for embodied
souls in praise of the rulers of the universe is this pastime
of the great controllers in which they offer those who are
controlled by them their respects!
S'rî
Mârkandeya said: It is indeed most difficult for
embodied souls to understand the pastimes of the universal
controllers, for such lords bow down to and offer praise to
the very living beings they rule.
Text
29
In
general is it for the acceptance of the religion that the
authoritative speakers act in proving their sympathy and
praising the conditioned souls.
Generally
it is to induce embodied souls to accept religious
principles that the authorized teachers of religion exhibit
ideal behavior while encouraging and praising the proper
behavior of others.
Text
30
By
such activities made up of His material potency is, just as
with the tricks of a magician, the power of the Fortunate One
not spoiled.
This
apparent humility is simply a show of mercy. Such behavior
of the Supreme Lord and His personal associates, which the
Lord effects by His own bewildering potency, does not spoil
His power any more than a magician's powers are diminished
by his exhibition of tricks.
Text
31-32
As
the Supersoul from His mind [by Himself in the form of
Time] creates this universe and subsequently enters it
[as avatâras] does He, like a person witnessing
[himself in] a dream, by the modes of action appear to
be the doer; unto Him, the Supreme Personality who
[operating] by the three gunas is the true Self to the
modes, unto the pure unequaled spiritual master who is the form
of the Absolute, my obeisances [see B.G.
4:
13,
13:
30,
14:
19].
I
offer my obeisances to that Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who has created this entire universe simply by His desire
and then entered into it as the Supersoul. By making the
modes of nature act, He seems to be the direct creator of
this world, just as a dreamer seems to be acting within his
dream. He is the owner and ultimate controller of the three
modes of nature, yet He remains alone and pure, without any
equal. He is the supreme spiritual master of all, the
original personal form of the Absolute Truth.
Text
33
What
other benediction indeed should I choose from you, o
all-pervading one, whose presence itself is the highest
[one may attain]; from seeing you may a person achieve
all he desires, irrespective
of what he desires.
O
all-pervading lord, since I have received the benediction of
seeing you, what other benediction can I ask for? Simply by
seeing you, a person fulfills all his desires and can
achieve anything imaginable.
Text
34
From
Him, the Complete Bringing the Fulfillment of All desires, I
request one benediction though: the unfailing devotional
service for as well the Supreme Personality of Godhead as for
those dedicated to Him like you'."
But
I do request one benediction from you, who are full of all
perfection and able to shower down the fulfillment of all
desires. I ask to have unfailing devotion for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and for His dedicated devotees,
especially you.
Text
35
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: "Thus worshiped and glorified by the
well-spoken words of the sage, spoke the great lord
S'arva,
thereto being
encouraged by his consort:
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Thus worshiped and glorified by
the eloquent statements of the sage Mârkandeya, Lord
S'arva [S'iva], encouraged by his consort, replied
to him as follows.
Text
36
'O
great sage so full of devotion for Adhokshaja,
may all that is
desired by you come true as well as fame till the end of the
kalpa, piety and freedom from old age and death.
O
great sage, because you are devoted to Lord Adhokshaja, all
your desires will be fulfilled. Until the very end of this
creation cycle, you will enjoy pious fame and freedom from
old age and death.
Text
37
With
knowledge of the threefold of time [tri-kâlika]
o brahmin, and with wisdom plus renunciation, let there for him
who is given the brahminical potency, for you, be the status of
being a teacher of the purâna'."
O
brâhmana, may you have perfect knowledge of past,
present and future, along with transcendental realization of
the Supreme, enriched by renunciation. You have the
brilliance of an ideal brâhmana, and thus may you
achieve the post of spiritual master of the
Purânas.
Text
38
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: "With granting the sage these
blessings went he, the controller with the three eyes, away
recounting to the goddess all that he
[Mârkandeya] before had done and had
experienced.
Sûta
Gosvâmî said: Having thus granted
Mârkandeya Rishi benedictions, Lord S'iva went on his
way, continuing to describe to goddess Devî the
accomplishments of the sage and the direct exhibition of the
Lord's illusory power that he had experienced.
Text
39
He, the best
one of Bhrigu,
indeed having obtained the greatest of the great of yoga, even
today travels about at will, gone for his exclusive devotion to
the Lord.
Mârkandeya
Rishi, the best of the descendants of Bhrigu, is glorious
because of his achievement of perfection in mystic yoga.
Even today he travels about this world, fully absorbed in
unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Text
40
This
is what I could describe to you of the amazing opulence of the
illusory energy of the Supreme Personality as experienced by
the intelligent Mârkandeya.
I
have thus narrated to you the activities of the highly
intelligent sage Mârkandeya, especially how he
experienced the amazing power of the Supreme Lord's illusory
energy.
Text
41
Unprecedented
as it [this seven kalpas long life of the sage] is, do
some who are not so learned speak of it as the from time
immemorial cycling of the conditioned living beings through the
mind-boggling creation of the Supreme Soul.
Although
this event was unique and unprecedented, some unintelligent
persons compare it to the cycle of illusory material
existence the Supreme Lord has created for the conditioned
souls-an endless cycle that has been continuing since time
immemorial.
Text
42
For those two
kinds of people, o best one of Bhrigu, who thus either hear or
describe this [narration] infused with the potency of
the Lord with the Wheel [of Time] in His hand, will
there not be the course of mundane existence based on karma."
O
best of the Bhrigus, this account concerning
Mârkandeya Rishi conveys the transcendental potency of
the Supreme Lord. Anyone who properly narrates or hears it
will never again undergo material existence, which is based
on the desire to perform fruitive activities.
