The Markandeya Purana

by Frederick Eden Pargiter | 1904 | 247,181 words | ISBN-10: 8171102237

This page relates “the story of ruci” which forms the 95th chapter of the English translation of the Markandeya-purana: an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with Indian history, philosophy and traditions. It consists of 137 parts narrated by sage (rishi) Markandeya: a well-known character in the ancient Puranas. Chapter 95 is included the section known as “conversation between Markandeya and Kraustuki”.

Canto XCV - The Story of Ruci

A Prajāpati named Ruci formerly lived in solitary discomfort—His forefathers appeared to him and urged him to marry—He demurred and they insisted on the importance of marriage.

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

A Prajāpati Rum, who was devoid of self, free from pride, fearless and moderate in sleeping, formerly roamed this earth. Seeing that he was destitute of fire, had no habitation, that he ate but once a day, had no hermitage, and was cut off from all attachments, his ancestors spoke to him, the muni.

The Pitṛs spoke:

Dear son, wherefore hast thou not done the sacred deed of taking a wife, since that is the cause of gaining Svarga and final emancipation from existence? without that there is bondage perpetually. A house-holder by paying worship to all the gods and the Pitṛs likewise, to ṛṣis and guests, gains the heavenly worlds. He apportions the gods their share by uttering ‘svahā’ aloud, the Pitṛs by uttering ‘svadhā’ aloud, created beings and other guests by the giving of food. Being such a negligent one, thou dost incur bondage by reason of the debt due to the gods,'bondage by reason of the debt due to us also, bondage unto men and created beings day by day, by not begetting sons, by not satisfying the gods and Pitṛs. And how, by not fulfilling these duties through folly, dost thou hope to go the good way? We think affliction, one affliction after another, may be for thee in this world, O son; hell likewise when thou art dead, and affliction in sooth in another birth.

Ruci spoke:

Wedlock tends to excessive suffering, and is a downward course toward sin; hence I took no wife hitherto. Control which is gained over one’s self, this is effected by firm suppression;[1] it is the cause of final emancipation from existence; that emancipation verily comes not from wedlock. That the soul, though besmirched with the mire of selfishness, be washed clean day by day by those who have no family ties with the waters of thought—better verily is this! The soul, which is marked with the mire of actions that have developed during many existences, must be washed clean with the waters of good perceptions by wise men who keep their bodily organs under control.

The Pitṛs spoke:

Fitting it is that those who have their organs under control should cleanse their soul; but does this path, wherein thou wendest, O son, tend to final emancipation from existence?[2] Moreover evil is driven away by means of disinterested[3] gifts, and by results and enjoyments wbicb are good or ill according to former actions. Thus no bondage befalls him who acts with a tender heart, and such action being disinterested tends not to bondage. Thus a former action done, which consists of merit and demerit, is diminished day and night by enjoyments which consist of pleasure and pain, O son, among mankind. Thus wise men cleanse their soul and guard it from bonds; thus, on the other hand, indiscrimination, which is the mire of sin, does not lay hold of it.

Ruci spoke:

It is declared in the Veda, ignorance is the path of action, O my forefathers. How then do ye, sirs, despatch me on the path of action?

The Pitṛs spoke:

Ignorance in very truth is this[4] action thou mentionest —this maxim is not erroneous; nevertheless action is the cause undoubtedly of full acquisition of knowledge. On that view the restraint, which bad men observe because they do not perform what is enjoined, should tend ultimately to final emancipation from existence;[5] on the contrary it produces a downward course. But thou thinkest, O son, ‘I will cleanse my soul’; yet thou art burnt up by sins which arise from not performing what is enjoined. Even Ignorance exists for the benefit of men, just as poison does; although it is different, it does not in truth tend to bondage[6] by reason of the means which are put into practice. Therefore, O son, do thou take a wife according to precept; let not thy birth be unprofitable by thy not observing the business of ordinary life fully.

Ruci spoke:

I am now aged; who will bestow a wife on me, O my forefathers? Moreover it is hard for a poor man to take a wife.

The Pitṛs spoke:

Our downfall will assuredly come to pass, O son, and so also will thy downward course; thou dost not welcome our speech.

Mārkaṇḍeya spoke:

Having spoken thus, the Pitṛs suddenly vanished from sight while he beheld them, O best of muuis, just as lights when blown by the wind.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ni-yantraṇa; a word not in the dictionary.

[2]:

I take kintu as kiṃ tu interrogatively; but the Bombay edition reads lepāya for mokṣāya and kintu then would moan simply “but”—“but this path, wherein, &c., tends to defilement.”

[3]:

An-abhisandhita: abhi-sandhita is not in the dictionary.

[4]:

For evait read evaitat.

[5]:

The Bombay edition reads nāsau instead of so’nte, and the meaning is “does not tend to final emancipation.”

[6]:

The Bombay edition reads bandhāyānyā yato hi sā, “because it is different, it tends in truth to bondage.” Or if anyā yato be read as one word. a-nyāyato, it would mean “because of iniquity it tends in truth to bondage.”

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