Chapter 8 - Mārkaṇḍeya’s Penance and Praise of Lord Nārāyaṇa

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śaunaka said:

1. O Sūta! May you live long. O virtuous one! You are the proper guide to men who are wandering in the endless darkness (of Saṃsāra) as you show them the way out of it. You are the most eminent speaker. Be pleased to tell us one thing which we earnestly desire to know.

2. People say that the son of Mṛkaṇḍa, the sage (Mārkaṇḍeya) is blessed with a very long life and that he remained alive even when the deluge indicating the end of the Kalpa submerged (lit. swallowed up) the whole of this world.

3. (As per tradition) it was in this very Kalpa that the prominent descendant of Bhṛgu was born in our very family. And as far as we know, no deluge or destruction of all beings has taken place to this day.

It is further reported that while he was drifting along on the sea of cosmic waters, he saw the Supreme Person in the form of an extraordinary babe lying on a banyan leaf (with a shallow cavity).

4-5. This (the possibility of the above tradition) is a matter of grave doubt to us. Hence, we have got curiosity (about its veracity) O Sūta. O Yogin, you are respected as an authority on Purāṇas. Be pleased to clarify (and resolve) the above doubt.

Sūta said:

6. O great sage, the enquiry made by you is such as will dispel the misapprehension (in the minds) of the people in general; for while replying to your query the story of Lord Nārāyaṇa will have to be told and that will wash off the sins of the Kali age.

7. Having received consecration at the hands of his father by the investiture of the sacred thread (as per Śāstric injunctions), Mārkaṇḍeya in due course, studied the Vedas as prescribed in religious scriptures and in due course, came to possess (the spiritual power, acquired by) penance and (mastery over) the Vedic Lore.

8. He observed the great vow of celibacy for life, was quiescent (as he brought passions under his control). He wore matted hair (on his head), bark garments, the sacred thread and the girdle of Kuśa grass. He carried a water jar of gourd and a staff in his hands.

9. He wore a deer skin and had a rosary of Rudrākṣa beads and Kuśa grass. For the enhancement of his disciplined life and merits, he worshipped Hari present in the (sacrificial) fire, the sun, his preceptor, Brāhmaṇas and within himself both in the morning and in the evening.

10. He brought food received as alms, both morning and in the evening, and offered it to his preceptor silently. If permitted by his preceptor, he partook of the food once (in a day) and observed fast if no permission was given (due to the arrival of an unexpected guest, etc.)

11. In this way, while absorbed in the performance of penance and Vedic studies, he engaged himself in worshipping Lord Hari for millions of years and conquered death which is extremely difficult to overcome.

12. By this (conquest over death) god Brahmā, Bhṛgu, god Śiva, Dakṣa and other sons of god Brahmā (such as Nārada and men, gods, manes and all other beings (in the world) marvelled greatly (at his wonderful achievement).

13. Possessed of austere penance, deep Vedic studies and self-control, he observed the great vow of life-long celibacy. All the distracting passions in his heart were destroyed. With his mind drawn within, that Yogin meditated upon the Supra- sensuous Lord Hari.

14. Even as the Yogin was engaged in concentrating his mind through the great Yoga on the Supreme person, a long period of time extending over six Manvantaras had passed away.

15. It is said that when Indra came to know of this (performance of penance) in the present seventh Manvantara, he became alarmed at it and began to create interruptions in it, O Brāhmaṇa (Śaunaka).

16. (with a view to interrupting his penance and precipitating his own fall) he deputed to the sage, divine musicians, celestial dancing girls, Cupid (god of Love), the presiding deities of the spring season and the gentle breeze Horn the Malaya mountain wafting (love-exciting) fragrance as well as greed and pride, the sons (or the products) of rajas.

17. All of them went to the northern slopes of the Himālayas where the river Puṣpabhadrā flows and to the slab of stone called Citra, O Lord (Śaunaka).

18. The premises of that holy hermitage were adorned with sacred trees (like Aśvattha) and creepers, densely occupied with families of holy Brāhmaṇa sages and were full of pools of holy crystal-clear water.

19. It was resonant with the melodious humming of intoxicated bees and loud with the cooing of joyous cuckoos. It was full of the vivacious movements of ecstatic dancing of the peacocks and of the flights of various birds in joy (displaying their delight).

20. Bearing with it the cool spray of mountain cascades and embraced by fragrant flowers (and hence wafting their sweet scent), the (southern Malaya) wind entered and blew gently exciting the passion of love (in the hearts of men).

21. The spring season manifested itself with the rising moon as the face of the night (i. e evenings beautiful with the rising moon), with rows of tender leaves and branches of flowers and clusters of trees entwined with creepers (as if in close embrace).

22. Followed by the celestial singers (Gandharvas) with companies of artistes experts in vocal and instrumental music, and accompanied with a troupe of divine damsels, the god of love appeared with a bow and arrows.

23. Those servants of Indra saw the sage sitting steadfast with his eyes closed after offering oblations to the sacrificial fire, looking formidable (and hence unassailable) like fire in the human form.

24. The celestial damsels danced before him and the singers began to sing and the players of instrumental music played upon the Mṛdaṅga, lute, Paṇavakas and horns.

25. While the spring season (i.e. its presiding deity) and son of rajas (Greed—were trying to agitate his mind, Kāma (the god of love) set his missile of five-pointed shaft^[1] to his bow.

26-27. While Puñjika-sthalī (a celestial damsel in her role of a temptress was plying with balls (in the presence of the sage), her slim waist was as if afflicted (and hence unstable) under the weight of her full breasts, wreaths of flowers were dropping from her hair. Her eyes were (as if) wandering (i.e. she was constantly looking) this way or that way. While she was running after the balls the wind blew away her fine garment (sārī) as the zone (which was fastened round it) got snapped (and slipped).

28. Feeling confident that the sage is now (as good as) subdued, Smara (the god of love) discharged that shaft, but like all the endeavours put forth by an unfortunate person, his attempt (against the sage) proved futile.

29. Thus while committing that offence against the sage, they were being scorched by his spiritual lustre (and being afraid of what would be the consequence of their offence) they ran away as children do after rousing a snake, O sage.

30. There is certainly nothing wonderful in the case of the great-souled ones, O Śaunaka, that the great sage, despite his being thus attacked by the minions of Indra, was not affected by anger, infatuation and such other perturbing feelings resulting from ahaṃkāra.

31. Perceiving the paleness of expression (on the countenance) of Kāma and his troop of followers and hearing from them the spiritual splendour and power of the Brāhmaṇa sage, (even) the glorious lord of the celestial region (Indra) was extremely astonished.

32. In this way, while the sage was concentrating his mind on the Lord by means of penance, study of the Vedas and self-control, Lord Viṣṇu, in order to shower his grace on him, manifested himself in the form of sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa.

33-34. They (i.e. Lords Nara and Nārāyaṇa) were fair (white) and darkblue in complexion respectively; with eyes beautiful like fresh-blown lotuses and with four arms (each). They were clad in deerskin and bark garments and wore the rings of the sacred Kuśa grass, and a sacred threefold thread (comprised of nine strands). They carried with them a water pot (of gourd or wood specially used by ascetics) and a straight bamboo staff, a rosary of lotus-seeds, a broom to brush aside insects (without harming them) and a handful of darbha grass^[2] (representing the Vedas). They were of a high stature and by their halo of golden lustre refulgent like the flashes of lightening, they appeared like asceticism itself incarnate, and were worshipped by prominent gods.

35. Beholding the two sages, Nara and Nārāyaṇa, the two forms of the glorious Lord, he rose to his feet and most respectfully prostrated himself before them like a staff.

36. His body, senses and the mind became deeply satisfied and tranquil through joy caused by their blissful sight. His hair stood on their ends (at the thrill of joy) and eyes were full of tears. He could not even visualize them.

37. He stood up with his palms folded and humbly bowed to them. Out of ardent desire, he was as if embracing them. And in. faltering accents, he welcomed those two Lords with words Name namaḥ (Salutations! Bow-to you both).

38. He brought (and offered) seats to them and washed their feet. He worshipped them respectfully, offering them arghya (articles of worship) pigment, flowers and incense.

39. When both of them were comfortably seated and appeared disposed to shower their grace on him, he saluted them again and submitted to those eminent-most sages (as follows:)

Mārkaṇḍeya submitted:

40. How is it possible for (an ordinary Jīva like) me to extol you (of infinite glory) O Almighty Lord? The vital breath (Prāṇa) can pulsate when propelled by you and speech, mind and cognitive and conative senses of embodied beings begin to function with the throbbing of the life principle. This happens even in the case of great gods like the birthless god Brahmā, god Śiva as well as of mine: (though all beings from god Brahmā are controlled by you as wooden dolls and are not free agents, but if they, with their controlled speeches or action worship you) you are the friend of the soul of those devotees (and not the friend of their bodies as the parents and other near relatives).

41. These two forms of yours, O glorious Lord, are for the protection, removal of the three types of miseries (viz. ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika) and for the conquest of death (i.e. the attainment of mokṣa or final emancipation from saṃsāra) of the three worlds. For the protection of the world, you assume various other bodies (such as the divine Fish, Tortoise, Boar and others). Even as a spider, you swallow up (i.e. withdraw within yourself) the whole of the universe after creating it.

42. I resort to the soles of the feet of that Protector and controller of the mobile and immobile creation. To a person who takes permanent asylum with them (the Lord’s feet) the dirt^[3] in the form of Karmas (merits and demerits) guṇas (and the consequent passions like lust, anger, etc.) and Time (and sufferings mentioned in the above verse) does not contaminate. Verily those sages who know the essence and the inner meaning of the Vedas extol, pay their respects with intense devotion, constantly worship and ever meditate upon them with the desire of attaining to them.

43. We do not know any secure and blissful place (or the summum bonum) to persons beset with fear on all sides, in all the worlds other than attainment of your feet, as you are the very embodiment of Mokṣa (emancipation from Saṃsāra), O Almighty Ruler I Even the god Brahmā whose span of life and duration of position (as the head of the creation) last for two Parārdha years is terribly afraid of the Time-spirit (which is just a movement of your eye-brow). What need be said of other beings who are his creations?

44. This being the case, I shall give up (attachment to) the body and (home, wife, son, etc.) belongings which are futile, unreal, contemptible, transient, which obscures the self (—but which is not ultimately different from the self but is basically the self itself). And I shall resort to your feet as you arc transcendent, the embodiment of the true (spiritual) knowledge, (or whose will is ever true), the preceptor or father of the Jīva (who by entering the Jīva controls him and makes him perform good acts and instructs him in spiritual knowledge). (It is only by betaking oneself to your feet that) one can attain all desired objects i.e. Puruṣārthas (such as Dharma, Artha, Kāma and Mokṣa).

45. O Lord! Although the guṇas (Sattva, rajas and tamas)—the products of the Māyā—are the causes of the sustenance, creation and destruction of the universe, and are regarded as the sportive activities of yours, your Sāttvic manifestation (i.e. Viṣṇu form) alone leads to eternal profound peace in Mokṣa (Liberation from Saṃsāra). O friend of the soul, but not the other two (viz. Brahmā and Rudra) for they are the sources of miseries, delusion and fear to men.

46. It is hence that intelligent persons who have understood the truth in this world, worship your pure manifestation (viz. Śrī Nārāyaṇa) which is so dear to your devotees. The followers of the Pāñcarātra school believe that pure Sattva (and no other guṇa) is the manifestation of the Supreme Person, and that through Sattva alone is attained the abode of the Lord which is the state of absolute fearlessness and full of the bliss of realization of the self which cannot be attained by other two guṇas.

47. My salutation to the glorious Lord (of six excellences) the Inner Controller, all pervading as well as manifesting himself in the form of the universe, the creator and the preceptor of the universe, the supreme Deity revealed in the dual form of sage Nārāyaṇa of perfect spiritual knowledge and Nara the best among men, the purest existence, the controller of speech, (in the form of Vedic lore) and the promulgator of the path of Vedas.

48. Even though you are present in a person’s own senseorgans, vital airs, heart and objects of senses (coming in the range of his perception) as the Inner Controller, his understanding is so much, covered (deluded) by your deluding potency (Māyā) and his intellect is bewildered in following the path of misguiding senses that he cannot cognize you. But such a person (who is so much ignorant in the beginning) is able to know you directly on being enlightened into (the inner meaning of) the Vedas through you who are the preceptor of all.^[4]

49. You are the Supreme Person whose vision or the knowledge that throws light on your real mysterious nature, is obtained only through the Vedas. Great sages of whom the unborn god Brahmā is prominent, are bewildered about your true nature, even though they are trying to realize you. You present yourself in a form or character conforming to the theories of all schools of thought. I bow to you who are the pure knowledge itself, concealed by the limiting conditions of the body and other environments.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā enumerates the stages of love-lornship such as Fascination, agitation, intoxication or maddening etc. as the “points” of Kāma’s shaft.

[2]:

Some annotators opine that the broom was of darbha grass.

[3]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā and Bhāgavata Candrikā note the v.l. rujaḥ [ruja] ‘diseases’ (like karma, etc).

[4]:

According to Padaratnāvalī: even though a person may be deeply learned in the Vedas, he is by nature inclined to enjoyment of objects and his judgement is clouded by Māyā. It is by God’s grace alone that knowledge about him is easily obtainable.

(tvat-prasādena tvaj-jñānaṃ sulabham ityarthaḥ).