The Markandeya Purana (Study)

by Chandamita Bhattacharya | 2021 | 67,501 words

This page relates ‘The Birth of Surya (Martanda)’ of the study on the Markandeya Purana, one of the oldest of the eigtheen Mahapuranas preserving the history, civilisation, culture and traditions of ancient India. The Markandeyapurana commences with the questions raised by Rishi Jaimini (a pupil of Vyasa), who approaches the sage Markandeya with doubts related to the Mahabharata. This study examines various social topics such as the status of women, modes of worship, yoga, etc.

1. The Birth of Sūrya (Mārtaṇḍa)

The Sun is also known by the name Mārtaṇḍa and He is the son of Aditi. The story of the birth of Mārtaṇḍa is referred to in the Ṛgveda. It is stated here that from the body of Aditi sprang to life eight sons, with seven she went to meet the Gods. She cast Mārtāṇḍa far away. So, with her seven sons, Aditi went forth to meet the earlier age, she brought Mārtāṇḍa hitherward to bring to life and die again.[1]

Another myth is also found in the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa.[2] The Taittirīyāraṇyaka states that the earth had eight wombs, eight sons and eight husbands.[3] The Atharvaveda mentions that Aditi had eight sons and eight wombs.[4] Both the Ṛgveda and the Atharvaveda mention Aditi as the mother of Sun-god.[5] The Sun is also known by the name Mārtaṇḍa. The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa contains a story about the birth of Sūrya as Mārtaṇḍa. According to the story, Kāśyapa Mārica, Brahmā’s grandson, married Dakṣa’s thirteen daughters including Aditi who begot the gods, demons, mankind, animals, birds, trees etc.[6] The Daityas and the Dānavas fought with their other cousins, the Devas. The war went on for a thousand years and at the end of it, the Devas were defeated. Then Aditi was very unhappy to see that her sons had thus been deprived of the three worlds[7]. So she started to worship the Sun god for her help. Finally the Sun appeared before her and granted her a boon. She chose the Sun to be incarnated in her womb and defeat the Daityas and the Dānavas. The Sun blessed her and she became pregnant. At the time of pregnancy she often observed fasting. This made Kāśyapa angry and told her angrily that she would destroy that egg in her womb[8] Then Aditi replied that the egg could never be destroyed, rather, it would become the reason for the destruction of the demons.[9] Then out of anger she gave birth to the child which blazed brilliantly with lustre[10]. Kāśyapa, seeing the shining egg, fell prostrate and worshipped that with respect. Being gratified at his worship, the Sun revealed himself from that foetal egg pervading the sky with his glory.[11] Then, addressing Kāśyapa, a voice from the thunder cloud announced that as he had spoken the egg as destroyed, so he shall be called Mārtaṇḍa (mṛta-aṇḍa), i.e. the dead egg and he shall destroy the demons.[12] Hearing that speech the gods became very happy and the demons lost their vigour. After that Indra challenged the demons to the battle. Mārtaṇḍa destroyed the demons and restored the gods in their original positions

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

aṣṭạu putrāso aditer ye jātāstanvaspari /
devān upaprait saptabhiḥ parā mārtaṇḍamāsyat//
saptabhiḥ putrairaditir upa prait pūrvyaṃ yugam/
prajāyai mṛtyave tat punar mārtāṇḍamābharat// Ṛgveda, 10.72.8-9

[2]:

Śatapathabrāhmaṇa, 3.1.3.4

[3]:

aṣṭayonim aṣṭaputrām aṣṭapatnīm imāṃ mahīm / Taittirīyāraṇyaka, 1.13.1

[4]:

aṣṭayonir aditir aṣṭaputrā / Atharvaveda, 6.4.1

[5]:

Ṛgveda,10.88.11; Atharvaveda, 13.2.9

[6]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 102.3

[7]:

tannimittaṃ prasādaṃ tvaṃ kuruṣva mama gopate /
aṃśena teṣāṃ bhrātṛtvaṃ gatvā nāśāya tadripūn //
yathā me tanayā bhūyo yajñabhāgabhujaḥ prabho /
bhaveyuradhipāścaiva triolokyasya divāra // Ibid., 102.5,6

[8]:

Ibid., 102.13

[9]:

sā ca taṃ prāha garbhāṇḍametatpaśayeti kopanā /
na māritaṃ vipakṣānāṃ mṛtyave tadbhaviṣyati // Ibid., 102.14

[10]:

Ibid., 102.15

[11]:

Ibid. , 102.17

[12]:

mūritaṃ te yataḥ proktametaddaṇḍaṃ tvayā mune /
tasmānmune sutaste’yaṃ mārtaṇḍākhyo bhabiṣyati // Ibid., 102.19

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