Second
edition, loaded October 28 2009
Previous
Aadhar edition and
Vedabase links:
Text
1
S'rî
S'aunaka said: "O Sûta, may you live long, o saintly one;
o best of speakers, please speak to us, because you are for a
mankind wandering in the endless darkness the seer of the
opposite.
S'rî
S'aunaka said: "O Sûta, may you live long, o saintly
one; o best of speakers, please sppeak to us, because you
are for men wandering in the endless darkness the seer of
the opposite. (Vedabase)
Text
2-5
People
say that the son of Mrikandu, a seer [called
Mârkandeya] blessed with an exceptionally long life
span, was the only one to remain at the end of
the
kalpa
when this entire universe is engulfed. He, the foremost
descendant
of Bhrigu, was this kalpa factually born in my own
family and we as yet haven't any great deluge of all creation
seen taking place in our age. Alone wandering this great ocean
he spotted, so the story goes, a single wonderful personality,
an infant boy, lying within the fold of a banyan leaf.
About this, o
Sûta we are in great doubt; please o yogi who by everyone
are regarded the greatest authority on the Purânas, put
for us eager to know about it an end to
that."
People
say that the son of Mrikandu, a seer [called
Mârkandeya], with an exceptionally long life span
indeed was the only one to remain at the ending of the kalpa
which engulfed this entire universe. He, the foremost
descendant of Bhrigu, was this kalpa factually born in my
own family and we haven't seen any great deluge of all
creation yet taking place in our age. Alone wandering this
great ocean he saw, so one says, but a single wonderful
personality, an infant boy, lying within the fold of a
banyan leaf. About this, o Sûta we are in great doubt;
please o yogi who by everyone are regarded the greatest
authority on the Purânas, put for us so curious about
an end to to that." (Vedabase)
Text
6
Sûta
said: "O great sage this question of you takes away the
giddiness of the entire world because it leads to the
discussion of the story of Nârâyana which removes
the dirt of kali-yuga.
Sûta
said: "O great sage this question of you takes away the
giddiness of the entire world in making for the discussion
of the story of Nârâyana which removes the dirt
of kali-yuga. (Vedabase)
Text
7-11
Mârkandeya
having received the second-birth initiation rituals from his
father, orderly
studying the vedic hymns along with the religious duties, was
complete in his austerities and studies. Keeping to the great
vow [see yama]
he was peaceful with matted hair and bark for clothes carrying
a waterpot, a mendicant's staff, the sacred thread and the belt
of the celibates. With the skin of a black deer and lotus-seed
prayerbeads he for the good of his regulated practice [see
niyama]
worshiped at the junctures of the day the Lord in the form of
the fire, the sun, the guru, the learned ones and the Supreme
Soul. In the morning and the evening he with a controlled voice
brought what he had collected begging to his spiritual master
and once being invited by his guru joined in the eating or, not
being asked, he would fast [see also 7.12;
5 and
7.14:
17]. This
way of penance and study worshiping for countless [or
millions of] years the Master of the Senses, he had
conquered what is impossible to conquer: death.
Mârkandeya
having received the second-birth initiation rituals from his
father, orderly studying the vedic hymns along with the
religious duties, was complete in his austerities and
studies. Keeping to the great vow [see yama] was he
peaceful with matted hair and bark for clothes carrying a
waterpot, a mendicant's staff, the sacred thread and the
belt of the celibacy. With the skin of a black deer and
lotus-seed prayerbeads was he for the good of his regulated
practice [see niyama] worshiped at the junctures of
the day the Lord in the form of the fire, the sun, the guru,
the learned ones and the Supreme Soul. In the morning and
the evening he with a controlled voice brought what he had
collected begging to his spiritual master and partook he
once being invited by his guru or would he, not being so,
fast [see also 7.12; 5 and 7.14: 17]. This way of
penance and study worshiping for endless numbers
[millions] of years the Master of the Senses, he had
conquered what is impossible to conquer: death.
(Vedabase)
Text
12
Brahmâ,
Bhrigu, S'iva, Daksha, the sons of Brahmâ and the other
human beings, the demigods, forefathers and ghostly spirits all
were most astonished about that
[achievement].
Brahmâ,
Bhrigu, S'iva, Daksha, the sons of Brahmâ and the
other human beings, the demigods, forefathers and ghostly
spirits all became most amazed with that
[achievement]. (Vedabase)
Text
13
This
way maintaining the great vow by his austerities, recitations
and restraint, the yogi meditated upon the Lord in the Beyond
and with his mind turned inwards he rid himself of all
hindrances.
In
this manner maintaining the great vow by his austerities,
recitations and restraint, meditated the yogi upon the Lord
in the Beyond and rid he with his mind turned inwards
himself of all hindrances. (Vedabase)
Text
14
As
he was fixing his mind thus by means of yoga, passed by the
enormous lapse of
time consisting of six manvantaras
[of 71 mahâyugas
each].
As
he was fixing his mind thus with the great of yoga, passed
by the enormous lapse of time consisting of six manvantaras
[of 71 mahâyugas each].
(Vedabase)
Text
15
In
the seventh period of Manu Purandara [Indra] learned of
the austerities. He became fearful, o brahmin, and decided to
obstruct them.
In
the seventh period of Manu did Purandara [Indra]
learning of the austerities become fearful, o brahmin, and
decided he to obstruct them. (Vedabase)
Text
16
He
sent to the sage celestial singers and dancing girls, Cupid,
the spring season, the [sandalwood scented] Malaya
breeze, the child of passion and the child of
intoxication.
He
sent to the sage celestial singers and dancing girls, Cupid,
the spring season, the [sandalwood scented] Malaya
breeze, the child of passion and the child of intoxication.
(Vedabase)
Text
17
O
mighty one, they all went to his hermitage on the northern side
of the Himâlaya mountains where there is the river
Pushpabhadrâ and the peak named
Citrâ.
O
mighty one, they so went to his hermitage on the northern
side of the Himâlaya mountains where there is the
river Pushpabhadrâ and the peak named Citrâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
18-20
The
good site of the âs'rama where many twice-born
souls had come to live was marked with fine trees and creepers
and reservoirs of pellucid water everywhere. Humming with
maddened bees it was filled with families of birds - excitedly
cooing cuckoos and busily dancing, proud peacocks. The winds
blowing there transported the cooling drops of mist from the
waterfalls and called, being embraced by the charm of flowers,
for the god of love.
The
good site of the âs'rama where many twice-born souls
had come to live was marked with fine trees and creepers and
reservoirs of pellucid water everywhere. Humming with
maddened bees it was filled with families of birds -
excitedly cooing cuckoos and busily dancing, proud peacocks.
The winds blowing there transported the cooling drops of
mist from the waterfalls and called, being embraced by the
charm of flowers, for the god of love.
(Vedabase)
Text
21
With
the moon rising at night showing its face, springtime appeared
there with series of new sprouts and blossoms from the
multitude of creepers closely embracing the
trees.
With
the moon rising at night showing its face, appeared
springtime there in rows of new sprouts and blossoms from
the multitude of creepers in close embrace with the trees.
(Vedabase)
Text
22
Followed
by groups of singing Gandharvas playing musical instruments the
god of love, the master of hordes of heavenly women, was seen
there holding his bow and arrows.
Followed
by groups of gandharvas singing and playing musical
instruments was the god of love, the master of hordes of
heavenly women, seen there holding his bow and arrows.
(Vedabase)
Text
23
The
servants of Indra found him in that place. Having offered his
oblations, he sat in meditation with his eyes closed,
invincible as fire personified.
The
servants of Indra in that place found him who, having
offered his oblations, sat in meditation with his eyes
closed invincible as fire personified.
(Vedabase)
Text
24
The
women danced in front of him and the celestial singers sang
making charming music with drums, cymbals and
vînâs.
The
women danced in front of him and the celestial singers sang
making charming music with drums, cymbals and
vînâs. (Vedabase)
Text
25
And
while the servants of Indra, the child of greed and the child
of spring attempted to agitate the mind of the sage,
five-headed Cupid (to the sight, smell, sound, touch and taste)
fixed an arrow on his bow.
As
the servants of Indra, the child of greed and the child of
tha spring attempted to agitate the mind of the sage, fixed
five-headed Cupid (to the sight, smell, sound, touch and
taste) an arrow on his bow. (Vedabase)
Text
26-27
Flowers fell
from the wreath of hair of Puñjikasthalî [an
Apsara] who with her waist greatly challenged by her heavy
breasts was playing with a number of balls. Running after the
balls, with eyes glancing here and there, the belt of her thin
garment loosened and the wind lifted up her fine garment
[see also 3.20:
35-36,
3.22:
17,
5.2:
14,
8.12:
17-24].
From
the hair of Puñjikasthalî [an Apsara]
who with her waist greatly challenged by her heavy breasts
was playing with a number of balls, fell the flowers from
her wreath. Running after the balls, with eyes glancing here
and there, loosened the belt of her thin garment and lifted
the wind up her fine garment [see also 3.20: 35-36,
3.22: 17, 5.2: 14, 8.12: 17-24].
(Vedabase)
Text
28
Cupid,
thinking he had conquered him, then shot his arrow, but all
these actions directed at the sage proved to be as futile as
the endeavors of a disbeliever.
Cupid,
thinking he had conquered him, then shot his arrow, but all
of this directed at the sage proved to be as futile as the
endeavors of a disbeliever. (Vedabase)
Text
29
O
sage, they this way trying to compromise the sage, felt
themselves being burned by his potency and thus they desisted,
just like children having aroused a snake.
O
sage, they this way trying to compromise the sage, felt
themselves being burned by his potency and thus they
desisted, like children having aroused a snake.
(Vedabase)
Text
30
O
brahmin, even though the followers of Indra had violated the
great muni, he didn't yield to the sentiments of ego.
And that is something not that surprising at all for a great
soul.
O
brahmin,though the followers of Indra had violated the great
muni, did he not yield to the sentiments of ego, which is
something not so surprising for great souls at all.
(Vedabase)
Text
31
Seeing
and hearing how, because of the strength of the brahmin seer,
Kâmadeva along with his associates had proven powerless,
the mighty king of heaven was greatly amazed.
Seeing
and hearing how from the influence of the brahmin seer
Kâmadeva along with his associates had proved
powerless, the mighty king of heaven fell in great
astonishment. (Vedabase)
Text
32
When
Mârkandeya thus fixed his mind in austerity, recitation
and restraint the Supreme Lord manifested Himself as
Nara-Nârâyana to show His mercy.
As
he thus was fixing his mind in austerity, recitation and
restraint manifested the Supreme Lord Himself as
Nara-Nârâna to be of mercy.
(Vedabase)
Text
33-34
Of the two of
Them was one white and the other black; Their eyes were like
blooming lotuses, Their arms were four, Their clothes black
deerskin and bark, Their hands most purifying, carried a
waterpot and a straight staff of bamboo, and Their sacred
thread was three-stranded. With prayer beads of lotus seeds
which purify all living beings and with the Vedas [in the
form of bundles of darbha]
they, worshiped by the chief demigods, of an effulgent
yellowish color and standing tall, represented the austerity
radiating with light.
Of
the two of Them was one white and the other black; Their
eyes were like blooming lotuses, Their arms were four, Their
clothes black deerskin and bark, Their hands most purifying,
carried a waterpot and a straight staff of bamboo, and Their
sacred thread was three-stranded. With prayer beads of lotus
seeds which purify all living beings and with the Vedas
[in the form of bundles of darbha] represented they,
worshiped by the chief demigods, effulgent yellowish of
color standing tall indeed radiating with light, the
austerity. (Vedabase)
Text
35
Seeing
Them, Nara and Nârâyana, the direct personal
manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he stood
up with great respect to offer his obeisances and prostrate
himself.
Seeing
Them, Nara and Nârâyana, the personal
manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, stood
he up with great respect to offer his respects and
prostrated he himself. (Vedabase)
Text
36
Because
he, when he saw Them, experienced happiness all over his body,
mind and senses and the hairs on his body stood on end, he was
unable, from the tears filling his eyes, to see Them clearly
before him.
He,
because of seeing Them with all his body, mind and senses
being happy and his bodily hairs standing on end, was, with
tears filling his eyes, unable to fix his eyes upon Them.
(Vedabase)
Text
37
Standing
humbly with folded hands he addressed Them eagerly as if he
wanted to embrace Them, and choking he managed to say to the
two Lords the syllables 'na-ma-ha, na-ma-ha' (my
obeisances, my obeisances).
Standing
humbly with folded hands spoke he eager as if to embrace
Them choking thus to the two Lords the syllables 'na-ma-ha,
na-ma-ha' (my obeisances, my obeisances).
(Vedabase)
Text
38
Offering
Them sitting places, bathing Their feet and anointing Them with
sandal wood and other fragrant substances, he was of worship
with incense and flower garlands.
Offering
Them sitting places, bathing Their feet and anointing Them
with sandal wood and other fragrant substances, was he of
worship with incense and flower garlands.
(Vedabase)
Text
39
Sitting
comfortably on Their places ready to bestow Their mercy he,
again bowing down at Their feet, spoke the following to the
Ones Supremely Worshipable.
Sitting
comfortably on their places ready to bestow Their mercy he,
again bowing down at Their feet, spoke the following to the
Ones Supremely Worshipable. (Vedabase)
Text
40
S'rî
Mârkandeya said: 'O Almighty One, how can I describe You
because of whom of all embodied living beings as well as of
Brahmâ, S'iva as of myself the vital air, with in its
wake the power of speech, the mind and the senses is stirred
into action; nevertheless You [despite of this physical
imposition] become the loving friend of the ones who are of
worship.
S'rî
Mârkandeya said: 'O Almighty One how can I describe
Youby whom indeed of all embodied living beings as well as
of Brahmâ, S'iva as of myself the vital air stirred to
action comes alive, the power of speech is following and the
mind and senses begin to act; nevertheless do You for the
ones who are of worship become the loving friend.
(Vedabase)
Text
41
These
personal forms of the Fortunate One, o Supreme Lord, You
manifest for the ultimate benefit of the cessation of the
material misery and the defeat of death; and just as You, for
the protection variously manifest other transcendental bodies,
You, once having created this universe, again, just like a
spider, swallow it up entirely.
These
personal forms of the Fortunate One, o Supreme Lord, do You
manifest for the ultimate benefit of the cessation of the
material misery and the conquest of death; and just as You,
for the protection variously manifest other transcendental
bodies, do You, once having created this universe, again,
just like a spider, swallow it up entirely.
(Vedabase)
Text
42
Because
of Him, the Protector, the Supreme Controller of the moving and
nonmoving living
beings, the one situated at the soles of His feet is never
touched by the emotions of karma,
guna
and kâla;
it is before You indeed that the sages with the Veda in their
heart at every moment in praise bow down to worship and
meditate to attain You.
Of
Him the Protector, the Supreme Controller of the moving and
nonmoving ones, is the one situated at the soles of His feet
never touched by the emotions of karma, guna and kâla;
it is to You indeed that the sages with the Veda in their
heart at every moment in praise bow down to worship and
meditate, so that they may reach.
(Vedabase)
Text
43
Nothing else
but the attainment of Your feet, the very form of liberation,
is what benefits the person who has to fear from all sides o
Lord. We know that Brahmâ, whose time takes two
parârdhas,
is most afraid on account of this, he is afraid because of the
Time that is You - and how much more wouldn't that be true for
the worldly entities who are created by him [see
10.13:
56]?
Nothing
else but the attainment of Your feet, the very form of
liberation, does benefit the person who has to fear from all
sides o Lord; we know that Brahmâ, whose time takes
two parârdhas, on account of this is most afraid,
afraid because of the Time that You are - and what to speak
of the worldly entities created by him? [see 10.13:
56] (Vedabase)
Text
44
So
let me therefore give up this covering of the self, the
material body with everything to it that being temporal, being
remembered for only a moment, insubstantial as it is, is so
meaningless. Let me worship the soles of Your feet, of You, the
Intelligence of what is real and the Master of the Soul who is
the Supreme Truth from whom one obtains everything
desirable.
So
therefore do I give up this covering of the self, the
material body and all thereto that temporal, for a moment
only remembered, being insubstantial is so meaningless, and
do I worship the soles of the feet of You, the Intelligence
of the Real and Master of the Soul who is the Supreme Truth
and from whom one obtains everything desirable.
(Vedabase)
Text
45
O Lord, o
Friend of the Soul, even though the products of Your illusory
potency known by the names of sattva,
rajas
and tamas,
for the causes of the maintenance, destruction and creation of
this universe exist as [Your] pastimes, it is the
goodness [the sattvic] that [with You]
continues for the liberation and not the other two which for
men bring danger, bewilderment and fear [see
also
guna-avatâras
and 10.89:
18].
O
Lord, o Friend of the Soul, although the products of Your
illusory potency known by the names of sattva, rajas and
tamas, for the causes of the maintenance, destruction and
creation of this universe exist as [Your] pastimes,
it is the goodness [the sattvic] that
[with You] continues for the liberation and not the
other two which for men bring danger, bewilderment and fear
[see also guna-avatâras and 10.89: 18].
(Vedabase)
Text
46
Because
fearlessness, the happiness of the soul and the spiritual world
are attained through the mode of goodness the
Sâtvatas
are of that consideration and never of any other [mode
or] form of the Original Person. For that reason the
spiritual authorities in this world worship as most dear to
them the transcendental personal form of You as well as the
form of the ones with only You in their eyes, o Supreme Lord
[see also 1.2:
26].
Because
fearlessness, the happiness of the soul and the spiritual
world are attained through the mode of goodness do the
sâtvatas consider that and never any other
[mode] the form of the Original Person; and for that
reason do the spiritual authorities in this world worship as
most dear to them the transcendental personal form
[Vishnu] of You and the form of the ones with only
You in their eyes [the Vaishnavas], o Supreme Lord
[see also 1.2: 26]. (Vedabase)
Text
47
Him, the
All-pervading, All-inclusive Manifestation and Master of the
Universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my
obeisances, for He is the supremely worshipable deity,
Nârâyana, the sage who is the best of the humans
situated in perfect purity who, as the master of the vedic
scriptures, has the command over His word [see
hamsa]
Him,
the All-pervading, All-inclusive Manifestation and Master of
the Universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my
obeisances, for He is the supremely worshipable deity,
Nârâyana, the sage that is the best of the
humans who, as the master of the vedic scriptures in control
of His speech, is situated in perfect purity [see
hamsa]. (Vedabase)
Text
48
He
who deceived by the deceptive veil over his eyes becomes
diverted in his intelligence about Your presence within his own
senses, heart and even within the objects perceived, can know
You, the Spiritual master of All, when he obtains the vedic
knowledge, even though his understanding was originally covered
by Your mâyâ.
He
who deceived by the deceptive veil over his eyes becomes
diverted in his intelligence about the Presencee within his
own senses, heart and even the objects perceived, can know
You, the Spiritual master of All, when he obtains the vedic
knowledge, even though his understanding originally was
covered over by Your mâyâ.
(Vedabase)
Text
49
The
vision of the Supreme Soul, the mystery revealed by the vedic
texts, is what the great scholars headed by the Unborn One
[Brahmâ] become bewildered about when they try to
adjust with all kinds of philosophies the subject matter of Him
to their way of life. For He escapes the understanding of the
[conditioned] spirit soul, He, the Supreme Personality
whom I offer my respects [compare
1.3:
37,
4.31:
11,
4.18:
5,
5.6:
11,
5.14:
1,
7.15:
58,
11.19:
1,
11.20:
7 and B.G.
16:
23-24]."
The
vision of the Supreme Soul, the mystery revealed by the
vedic texts, is what the great scholars headed by the Unborn
One [Brahmâ] become bewildered about in their
endeavors of adjusting with all kinds of philosophies to
their way of life the subject matter of Him escaping the
understanding of the [conditioned] spirit soul, He,
the Supreme Personality whom I offer my homage [compare
1.3: 37, 4.31: 11, 4.18: 5, 5.6: 11, 5.14: 1, 7.15: 58,
11.19: 1, 11.20: 7 and B.G. 16: 23-24]."
(Vedabase)