Markandeya Purana (chapters 94–134) — Chapter 117
MkP 117.1
खनीनेत्रचरित्रवर्णनम् मार्कण्डेय उवाच तस्य पुत्रः खनीनेत्रो महाबलपराक्रमः । यस्य यज्ञेष्वगायन्त गन्धर्वा विस्मयान्विताः
khanīnetracaritravarṇanam mārkaṇḍeya uvāca tasya putraḥ khanīnetro mahābalaparākramaḥ | yasya yajñeṣvagāyanta gandharvā vismayānvitāḥ
The description of the deeds of Khanīnetra. Mārkaṇḍeya said: His son was Khanīnetra, of great strength and valour, at whose sacrifices the gandharvas, filled with wonder, sang.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.2
खनीनेत्रसमो नान्यो भुवि यज्वा भविष्यति । तेन यज्ञायुते पूर्णे दत्ता पृथ्वी ससागरा
khanīnetrasamo nānyo bhuvi yajvā bhaviṣyati | tena yajñāyute pūrṇe dattā pṛthvī sasāgarā
No other sacrificer on earth will be the equal of Khanīnetra; when ten thousand sacrifices had been completed by him, the earth with its oceans was given away.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.3
दत्त्वा च सकलां पृथ्वीं ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । तपसा द्रव्यमासाद्य मोदयन्साधितेन यः
dattvā ca sakalāṃ pṛthvīṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām | tapasā dravyamāsādya modayansādhitena yaḥ
And having given the whole earth to the great-souled brahmins, he obtained wealth by austerity and gladdened (them) with what he had thus won.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.4
यतश्च प्राप्य वित्तर्द्धिमतुलां दातृसत्तमात् । जगृहुर्ब्राह्मणा विप्र नान्यराज्ञः प्रतिग्रहम्
yataśca prāpya vittarddhimatulāṃ dātṛsattamāt | jagṛhurbrāhmaṇā vipra nānyarājñaḥ pratigraham
And since the brahmins had obtained incomparable increase of wealth from that best of givers, O brahmin, they accepted no gift from any other king.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.5
सप्तषष्टिसहस्राणि सप्तषष्टिशतानि च । सप्तषष्टिं च यो यज्ञानयजद् भूरिदक्षिणान्
saptaṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi saptaṣaṣṭiśatāni ca | saptaṣaṣṭiṃ ca yo yajñānayajad bhūridakṣiṇān
Sixty-seven thousand, and sixty-seven hundred, and sixty-seven sacrifices with abundant priestly fees did he perform.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.6
अपुत्रः स महीपालो मृगयामुपचक्रमे । पुत्रार्थं पितृयज्ञाय मांसकामो महामुने
aputraḥ sa mahīpālo mṛgayāmupacakrame | putrārthaṃ pitṛyajñāya māṃsakāmo mahāmune
That king, being sonless, set out on a hunt, wishing for meat for the sake of a son, for the sacrifice to the ancestors, O great sage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.7
अश्वारूढो विना सैन्यमेक एव महावने । बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणो बाणखड्गधनुर्धरः
aśvārūḍho vinā sainyameka eva mahāvane | baddhagodhāṅgulitrāṇo bāṇakhaḍgadhanurdharaḥ
Mounted on a horse, without an army, quite alone in the great forest, with a leather finger-guard bound on, bearing arrows, sword and bow —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.8
तं वाहयन्तं तुरगमन्यतो गहनाद्वनात् । विनिष्क्रम्य मृगः प्राह मां हत्वाभिमतं कुरु
taṃ vāhayantaṃ turagamanyato gahanādvanāt | viniṣkramya mṛgaḥ prāha māṃ hatvābhimataṃ kuru
As he was driving his horse this way and that, a deer came out from the dense forest and said: "Kill me and accomplish your purpose."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.9
अन्ये मृगाः पलायन्ते महाभीत्या विलोक्य माम् । कथमात्मप्रदानं त्वं मृत्यवे कर्तुमिच्छसि
anye mṛgāḥ palāyante mahābhītyā vilokya mām | kathamātmapradānaṃ tvaṃ mṛtyave kartumicchasi
"Other deer flee in great fear on seeing me; how is it that you wish to make a gift of yourself to death?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.11
मार्कण्डेय उवाच अथाभ्येत्य मृगः प्राह तमन्यो वसुधाधिपम् । मृगस्य तस्य प्रत्यक्षमलमेतेन पार्थिव
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca athābhyetya mṛgaḥ prāha tamanyo vasudhādhipam | mṛgasya tasya pratyakṣamalametena pārthiva
Mārkaṇḍeya said: Then another deer came up and said to that lord of the earth, in the presence of that deer: "Enough of this one, O king!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.12
घातयस्वेति मां मांसैर्मम कर्म समाचार । यथा कृतार्थता ते स्यान्मम चाप्युपकारि तत्
ghātayasveti māṃ māṃsairmama karma samācāra | yathā kṛtārthatā te syānmama cāpyupakāri tat
"Have me killed instead; with my flesh perform your rite, so that your purpose may be fulfilled and it may also be a benefit to me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.13
पुत्रार्थं त्वं महाराज स्वपितॄन्यष्टुमिच्छसि । अपुत्रस्यास्य मांसेन लप्स्यसे वाञ्छितं कथम्
putrārthaṃ tvaṃ mahārāja svapitṝnyaṣṭumicchasi | aputrasyāsya māṃsena lapsyase vāñchitaṃ katham
"For the sake of a son, great king, you wish to sacrifice to your ancestors; how will you obtain what you desire with the flesh of this sonless one?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.14
यादृक्कर्म विनिष्पाद्यं तादृग्द्रव्यमुपाहरेत् । दुर्गन्धैर्न सुगन्धानां गन्धज्ञानविनिर्णयः
yādṛkkarma viniṣpādyaṃ tādṛgdravyamupāharet | durgandhairna sugandhānāṃ gandhajñānavinirṇayaḥ
"Whatever the rite to be performed, one should bring material of a like kind; there is no determination of the knowledge of good scents by means of foul-smelling things."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.15
राजोवाच वैराग्यकारणं प्रोक्तमनेनापुत्रता मम । कथ्यतां प्राणसंत्यागे यत्ते वैराग्यकारणम्
rājovāca vairāgyakāraṇaṃ proktamanenāputratā mama | kathyatāṃ prāṇasaṃtyāge yatte vairāgyakāraṇam
The king said: "By this one the cause of his disgust with life has been stated — my own sonlessness. Let it be told: what is your reason for aversion (to life), that you would give up your breath?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.16
मृग उवाच बहवो मे सुता भूप बह्व्यो दुहितरस्तथा । यच्चिन्तादुःखदावाग्निज्वालामध्ये वसाम्यहम्
mṛga uvāca bahavo me sutā bhūpa bahvyo duhitarastathā | yaccintāduḥkhadāvāgnijvālāmadhye vasāmyaham
The deer said: "I have many sons, O king, and many daughters too, and it is amid the flames of the forest-fire of the sorrow of worrying over them that I dwell."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.17
सर्वसाध्या नरेन्द्रेयं मृगजातिः सुकातरा । तेष्वपत्येषु मे चातिममत्वं तेन दुःखितः
sarvasādhyā narendreyaṃ mṛgajātiḥ sukātarā | teṣvapatyeṣu me cātimamatvaṃ tena duḥkhitaḥ
"O king of men, this deer-kind is prey to all and easily terrified; and I have excessive possessiveness toward those offspring — by that I am made wretched.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.18
मनुष्यसिंहशार्दूलवृकादिभ्यो बिभेम्यहम् । विहीनात्सर्वसत्त्वेभ्यः श्वशृगालादपि प्रभो
manuṣyasiṃhaśārdūlavṛkādibhyo bibhemyaham | vihīnātsarvasattvebhyaḥ śvaśṛgālādapi prabho
I fear men, lions, tigers, wolves and the rest; (even) the lowest of all creatures, even a dog or a jackal, O lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.19
सोऽहं निमित्तं बन्धूनामिमां शून्यां वसुन्धराम् । नृसिंहादिभयात्सर्वामिच्छामि सुनृशंसकृत्
so'haṃ nimittaṃ bandhūnāmimāṃ śūnyāṃ vasundharām | nṛsiṃhādibhayātsarvāmicchāmi sunṛśaṃsakṛt
Therefore I, for my kinsmen's sake, doing what is most cruel, wish this whole earth were emptied, out of fear of men, lions and the like.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.21
निष्क्रान्तेषु ततस्तेषु ममापत्येषु वै पृथक् । भवन्ति चिन्ताः शतशो ममत्वावृतचेतसः
niṣkrānteṣu tatasteṣu mamāpatyeṣu vai pṛthak | bhavanti cintāḥ śataśo mamatvāvṛtacetasaḥ
Then, when those offspring of mine have gone out, each separately, hundreds of anxieties arise in me, whose mind is enveloped in possessiveness:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.22
किं कूटपाशं किं वज्रं वागुरां किं सुतो मम । प्राप्तश्चरन्वने किं वा नृसिंहादिवशं गतः
kiṃ kūṭapāśaṃ kiṃ vajraṃ vāgurāṃ kiṃ suto mama | prāptaścaranvane kiṃ vā nṛsiṃhādivaśaṃ gataḥ
'Has my son, roaming in the forest, met with a snare-trap, or a thunderbolt, or a net, or has he fallen into the power of men, lions and the like?'
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.23
प्राप्तोऽयमेकः सम्प्राप्तास्तेऽवस्थां कीदृशीं मम । साम्प्रतं ते चिरायन्ते ये गताः सुमहावनम्
prāpto'yamekaḥ samprāptāste'vasthāṃ kīdṛśīṃ mama | sāmprataṃ te cirāyante ye gatāḥ sumahāvanam
'This one has come back alone — what sort of state have they got into for me? Now those who went into the great forest are taking long.'
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.24
दृष्टवा प्राप्तान्ममाभ्याशमहं तानात्मजान्नृप । ईषदुछ्रवसितः क्षेममिच्छामि रजनीं पुनः
dṛṣṭavā prāptānmamābhyāśamahaṃ tānātmajānnṛpa | īṣaduchravasitaḥ kṣemamicchāmi rajanīṃ punaḥ
Having seen those sons of mine come near me, O king, I breathe a little more freely and wish for safety again through the night.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.25
प्रभाते दिवसं क्षेममस्तगेऽर्के निशामपि । वाञ्छाम्यहं कदा क्षेमं सर्वकालं भविष्यति
prabhāte divasaṃ kṣemamastage'rke niśāmapi | vāñchāmyahaṃ kadā kṣemaṃ sarvakālaṃ bhaviṣyati
At dawn I wish safety for the day, and when the sun has set, for the night too: when will there be safety for all time?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.26
एतत्ते कथितं भूप महोद्वेगस्य कारणम् । अतः प्रसादं कुरु मे बाणोऽयं पात्यतां मयि
etatte kathitaṃ bhūpa mahodvegasya kāraṇam | ataḥ prasādaṃ kuru me bāṇo'yaṃ pātyatāṃ mayi
This has been told you, O king, as the cause of my great agitation. Therefore do me a favour: let this arrow be loosed upon me.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.27
इति दुःखशताविष्टः प्राणान्नाहं त्यजामि यत् । तत्कारणं निबोध त्वं ब्रुवतो मम पार्थिव
iti duḥkhaśatāviṣṭaḥ prāṇānnāhaṃ tyajāmi yat | tatkāraṇaṃ nibodha tvaṃ bruvato mama pārthiva
Learn now the reason why I, thus beset by a hundred sorrows, do not myself give up my life — hear me as I speak, O prince.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.28
असूर्या नाम ते लोका यान्गच्छन्या् त्मघातकाः । यज्ञोपयुक्ताः पशवः सम्प्रयान्युवतच्छ्रितीः प्रभो
asūryā nāma te lokā yāngacchanyā tmaghātakāḥ | yajñopayuktāḥ paśavaḥ samprayānyuvatacchritīḥ prabho
There are those worlds called sunless, to which suicides go; but animals used in sacrifice attain the high states, O lord.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.29
अग्निः पशुरभूत्पूर्वं पशुरासीज्जलाधिपः । भास्वानथोच्छ्रितीः प्राप्ता यज्ञे निष्ठामुपागताः
agniḥ paśurabhūtpūrvaṃ paśurāsījjalādhipaḥ | bhāsvānathocchritīḥ prāptā yajñe niṣṭhāmupāgatāḥ
Fire was formerly a sacrificial victim, the lord of waters was a victim, and the shining sun; they attained exalted states by reaching their consummation in the sacrifice.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.31
पूर्वमृग उवाच राजेन्द्र नैष हन्तव्यो धन्योऽयं सुकृती मृगः । बहवस्तनया ह्यस्य हन्तव्योऽहमसन्ततिः
pūrvamṛga uvāca rājendra naiṣa hantavyo dhanyo'yaṃ sukṛtī mṛgaḥ | bahavastanayā hyasya hantavyo'hamasantatiḥ
The first deer said: O best of kings, this one is not to be killed; this deer is fortunate and meritorious, for he has many sons. I, who have no offspring, am the one to be killed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.32
उत्तरमृग उवाच एकदेहभयं यस्य दुःखं धन्यः स वै भवान् । बहूनि यस्य देहानि तस्य दुःखान्यनेकधा
uttaramṛga uvāca ekadehabhayaṃ yasya duḥkhaṃ dhanyaḥ sa vai bhavān | bahūni yasya dehāni tasya duḥkhānyanekadhā
The second deer said: You indeed are the fortunate one, whose sorrow is the fear for a single body; he who has many bodies has sorrows in many forms.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.33
एको यदाहमासं तु प्राक्तदा देहजं मम । दुःखमासीन्ममत्वे तु भार्यायास्तदभूद्द्विधा
eko yadāhamāsaṃ tu prāktadā dehajaṃ mama | duḥkhamāsīnmamatve tu bhāryāyāstadabhūddvidhā
When formerly I was alone, then my sorrow arose from my (own) body; but when there was attachment to a wife, it became twofold.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.34
यदाजातान्यपत्यानि तदा यावन्ति तानि वै । तावच्छरीरभूमीनि मम दुःखान्यथाभवन्
yadājātānyapatyāni tadā yāvanti tāni vai | tāvaccharīrabhūmīni mama duḥkhānyathābhavan
And when offspring were born, then just as many as they were, so many bodies became the ground of my sorrows.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.35
न कृतार्थो भवाम्यस्य नातिदुःखाय सम्भवः । इह दुःखाय मत्सूतिःपरत्र च विरोधिनी
na kṛtārtho bhavāmyasya nātiduḥkhāya sambhavaḥ | iha duḥkhāya matsūtiḥparatra ca virodhinī
I do not become fulfilled by this; the begetting (of children) leads to nothing but great sorrow. My progeny is for sorrow here, and it works against me in the next world too.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 117.36
यतो रक्षणपोषार्थमपत्यानां करोमि तत् । चिन्तयामि च सम्भूतिस्तेन मे नरके ध्रुवम्
yato rakṣaṇapoṣārthamapatyānāṃ karomi tat | cintayāmi ca sambhūtistena me narake dhruvam
For what I do for the protection and nourishment of my offspring, and what I worry about — by that my going to hell is certain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.37
राजोवाच न वेद्मि किं सन्ततिमान्धन्योऽपुत्रोऽत्र किं मृग । पुत्रार्थश्चायमारम्भो मम दोलायते मनः
rājovāca na vedmi kiṃ santatimāndhanyo'putro'tra kiṃ mṛga | putrārthaścāyamārambho mama dolāyate manaḥ
The king said: I do not know, O deer, which is better here — one with progeny, or one who is fortunate and without a son. And this undertaking of mine is for the sake of a son; my mind swings to and fro.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.38
दुःखाय सन्ततिः सत्यमैहिकामुष्मिकाय तत् । तथाप्यतनयान्यान्ति ऋणानीति श्रुतं मया
duḥkhāya santatiḥ satyamaihikāmuṣmikāya tat | tathāpyatanayānyānti ṛṇānīti śrutaṃ mayā
It is true that progeny is for sorrow, both in this world and the next; yet I have heard that those without a son go to (i.e., remain under) their debts.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.39
सोऽहं यतिष्ये पुत्रार्थमृते प्राणिवधं मृग । तपसैव प्रचण्डेन यथापूर्वं महीपतिः
so'haṃ yatiṣye putrārthamṛte prāṇivadhaṃ mṛga | tapasaiva pracaṇḍena yathāpūrvaṃ mahīpatiḥ
So, O deer, I shall strive for a son without the slaying of any living creature, by fierce austerity alone, as kings did formerly.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 117.117
मृग उवाच अपुत्रोऽहं महाराज वृथा जन्मप्रयोजनम् । विचारयन्न पश्यामि प्राणानामिह धारणम् तृणान्यन्येऽपि खादन्ति गोऽजावितुरगादिकाः । तांस्तेषां पोषणायाहमिच्छामि निधनं गतान् तन्ममैतां कृपां कृत्वा नय मामुच्छ्रितिं नृप । आत्मनश्चेप्सितं कामं पुत्रलाभादवाप्स्यसि इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे खनीनेत्रचरितवर्णनं नाम सप्तदशाधिकशततमोऽध्यायः
mṛga uvāca aputro'haṃ mahārāja vṛthā janmaprayojanam | vicārayanna paśyāmi prāṇānāmiha dhāraṇam tṛṇānyanye'pi khādanti go'jāvituragādikāḥ | tāṃsteṣāṃ poṣaṇāyāhamicchāmi nidhanaṃ gatān tanmamaitāṃ kṛpāṃ kṛtvā naya māmucchritiṃ nṛpa | ātmanaścepsitaṃ kāmaṃ putralābhādavāpsyasi iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe khanīnetracaritavarṇanaṃ nāma saptadaśādhikaśatatamo'dhyāyaḥ
The deer said: I am sonless, great king; the purpose of my birth is in vain. Reflecting, I see no reason for maintaining my life here. Others too eat grass — cows, goats, sheep, horses and the rest; I wish for my death for the sake of their feeding. So show me this mercy, O king, and bring me to exaltation; and you too will obtain your own desired wish through the gaining of a son. Thus (ends) the one hundred and seventeenth chapter in the glorious Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, called the description of the deeds of Khanīnetra.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition