Chapter 209 - Glory of Mārkaṇḍeyeśvara (Mārkaṇḍeya-īśvara)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Īśvara said:

1-3. Thereafter, O great goddess, a devotee should go to the excellent shrine of Mārkaṇḍeyeśa, installed by Mārkaṇḍa to the north thereof (i.e. Maṅkīśvara).

It is situated not far from the shrine of Sāvitrī in the east. Formerly, there was a sage named Mārkaṇḍeya. Due to the favour of the Lotus-born Lord he was one immune from old age and death. He went there and realized that the holy spot was very excellent. The leading Brāhmaṇa thereupon installed the Liṅga of the Trident-bearing Lord of Devas.

4. The sage sat on the right of the Liṅga and adored it in accordance with the injunctions. He seated himself in the lotus-pose and entered into meditation.

5. Even as the leading sage continued to be engaged in meditation, hundreds and millions of Yugas passed off but he did not realize it.

6. Then the palatial temple of Śiva began to get buried, O goddess, in the course of a long time under dust particles raised by the wind.

7. After some time, the excellent sage woke up. He found the entire temple covered up with dust particles.

8. The leading sage dug up the dust-layers and came out with great difficulty. O fair lady, he made a big door for the purpose of his adoration.

9. He who devoutly enters it and worships the Bull-emblemed Lord, goes to the great spot where Lord Maheśvara is present.

The Devī said:

10. How did the excellent sage Mārkaṇḍa attain immortality? This curiosity has been awakened in me. It behoves you to explain.

11. O Śāṅkara, no living being on the earth is immortal. Even Devas perish at the end of a Kalpa. So how did the sage not meet with death?

Īśvara said:

12. Now I shall narrate to you how he became immortal. In a former Kalpa, there was a sage well-known as Mṛkanḍa.

13. He was the son of Bhṛgu and the sage of esteemed fortune stayed along with his wife and performed a penance. While he was staying in the forest, a son was born to him.

14. He reached the age of five years. Even as a boy his qualities became evident. After some time a seer came there.

15. O my beloved, the boy was seen by him moving about in the courtyard. He recollected something. Impelled by the future event, he laughed for a long time.

16. The excellent seer conversant with Physiognomy was seen by his (the boy’s) father. He was asked the reason for his laughter, by the father whose mind was overcome with surprise.

17. “O Brāhmaṇa, why did you laugh on seeing my son. O Brāhmaṇa, it behoves you to mention the reason thereof exactly.”

18. On hearing these words of his, the Brāhmaṇa-seer uttered thus:

19-20. “O sage, this son of yours is endowed with all good characteristics. But, within six months from to-day, he will meet with his death. Yet, if he were to survive the death, he will become one long-lived. Hence, I laughed. Wonderfully inscrutable is the way of Karma”.

21. After hearing these terrible words uttered by the seer, the father performed all the rites pertaining to the sacred thread ceremony of the boy.

22. On seeing the son of the Brāhmaṇa who came there the sage said, “All the three castes are to be bowed to. Thereby you will attain great welfare.”

23. O lady of excellent countenance, the Brāhmaṇa boy who was thus instructed continued with his act of obeisance. A boy that he was, he did not mind the lower-born ones.

24. Five months and twenty five days elapsed. In the meantime, the pure Seven Sages arrived there.

25. O beautiful lady, they came that way in the course of their pilgrimage at that time. The boy wearing bark-garments and holding a staff duly made obeisance to them and he was blessed by them, “Be long-lived.”

26. After saying thus, they looked at the boy once again and realized that his life was about to end. They came to know that he would live only for five more days. They became afraid of the lie implied therein.

27. Taking the religious student along with them they went near Brahmā. They placed the boy before Pitāmaha and bowed down to him.

28. Thereafter Brahmā was paid obeisance by that boy. In the presence of the sages, the boy was blessed, “Long live” by Brahmā.

29. On hearing the words from Pitāmaha, those sages were pleased. On seeing the sages who appeared surprised Pitāmaha spoke to them, “For what specific purpose did you come here? Why was the boy introduced?”

The sages said:

30. Mṛkaṇḍa is the son of Bhṛgu. The life span of his son is of short duration. Realizing this, the father tied the Mekhalā (religious girdle for sacred thread ceremony) before due time.

31-33. The sacred thread was also put. The boy was instructed by the Brāhmaṇas: “Whoever may be the twice-born that you may meet walking about in the world, O dear son, you must pay obeisance to him always. Then, O excellent one, we were met by the boy as we were engaged in pilgrimage. As Providence willed it, O Pitāmaha, he was given the blessing:” Be a long-lived one” by us, as we were bowed to.

34. He was brought to your presence and the same thing was uttered by you. O Lord, how can our words as well as those of yours turn out to be untrue?

35-36a. Pointing out the boy the Lotus-born One laughed and said: “This boy Mārkaṇḍeya shall have a life span on a par with that of mine. At the beginning and the conclusion of the Kalpa he will assist me.”

36b. Then the delighted sages took the boy of the sage and left him at the place whence he was picked up.

37. The Brāhmaṇas continued their pilgrimage and Mārkaṇḍeya went home and said to Mṛkaṇḍa, the excellent sage:

38-40a. “Dear father, I was taken to the world of Brahmā by the Seven Sages. This was spoken by Brahmā: ‘This boy shall be my comrade (and assistant) at the beginning and conclusion of the Kalpa. There is no doubt about it. The boy shall have a life span on a par with that of mine.’ Thereafter I was brought back by them and left near the hermitage. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, your anxiety and anguish on my account may be dispelled.”

40b. On hearing the words of Mārkaṇḍeya, Mṛkaṇḍa the excellent sage, became extremely pleased, although he had experienced unbearable grief for a moment.

41. Then he summoned courage to pronounce thus:

42-44. “To-day my life has become fruitful and my living style has turned out to be excellent, since you, my excellent son, have seen the Grandfather of the worlds. My dear son, without effort you have seen the Lotus-born One whom learned people cannot see by means of a thousand Vājapeya and a hundred Rājasūya sacrifices. You have been made long-lived by him. I was miserable day and night due to you and could not even sleep. That excessive misery has disappeared now.”