Markandeya Purana — Chapter 24
MkP 24.1
कृताहारं महात्मनामधिपं पवनाशिनाम् । उपासाञ्चक्रिरे पुत्रौ भूपालतनयस्तथा
kṛtāhāraṃ mahātmanāmadhipaṃ pavanāśinām / upāsāñcakrire putrau bhūpālatanayastathā
When the lord of the great-souled wind-eaters had taken his meal, his two sons and the king's son likewise waited upon him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.2
कथाभिरनुरूपाभिः स महात्मा भुजङ्गमः । प्रीतिं सञ्जनयामास पुत्रसख्युरुवाच च
kathābhiranurūpābhiḥ sa mahātmā bhujaṅgamaḥ / prītiṃ sañjanayāmāsa putrasakhyuruvāca ca
With fitting conversation that great-souled serpent produced delight, and he spoke to his sons' friend:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.3
तव भद्र ! सुखं ब्रूहि गेहमभ्यागतस्य यत् । कर्तव्यमुत्सृजाशङ्कां पितरीव सुतो मयि
tava bhadra ! sukhaṃ brūhi gehamabhyāgatasya yat / kartavyamutsṛjāśaṅkāṃ pitarīva suto mayi
"Speak freely, good sir, of what must be done for you, who have come to (my) house; abandon hesitation with me as a son with his father.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.4
रजतं वा सुवर्णं वा वस्त्रं वाहनमासनम् । यद्वाभिमतमत्यर्थं दुर्लभं तद्वृणुष्व माम्
rajataṃ vā suvarṇaṃ vā vastraṃ vāhanamāsanam / yadvābhimatamatyarthaṃ durlabhaṃ tadvṛṇuṣva mām
"Silver or gold, a garment, a vehicle, a seat—or whatever else is greatly desired and hard to obtain: ask me for that."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.5
तव प्रसादाद्भगवन् ! सुवर्णादि गृहे मम । पितुरस्ति ममाद्यापिन किञ्चित् कार्यमीदृशम्
tava prasādādbhagavan ! suvarṇādi gṛhe mama / piturasti mamādyāpina kiñcit kāryamīdṛśam
"By your favour, lord, there is gold and the rest in my father's house; and to this day I have no such need at all.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.6
ताते वर्षसहस्राणि शासतीमां वसुन्धराम् । तथैव त्वयि पातालं न मे याञ्चोन्मुकं मनः
tāte varṣasahasrāṇi śāsatīmāṃ vasundharām / tathaiva tvayi pātālaṃ na me yāñconmukaṃ manaḥ
"With my father ruling this earth for thousands of years, and you likewise (ruling) the netherworld, my mind is not inclined to begging.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.7
ते स्वर्ग्याश्च सुपुण्याश्च येषां पितरि जीवति । तृणकोटिसमं वित्तं तारुण्याद्वित्तकोटिषु
te svargyāśca supuṇyāśca yeṣāṃ pitari jīvati / tṛṇakoṭisamaṃ vittaṃ tāruṇyādvittakoṭiṣu
"Heaven-bound and richly meritorious are those whose father lives; wealth is equal to ten million blades of grass, (while) youth (is worth) ten million fortunes.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 24.8
मित्राणि तुल्यशिष्टानि तद्वद्देहमनामयम् । जनिता ध्रियते वित्तं यौवनं किन्नु नास्ति मे
mitrāṇi tulyaśiṣṭāni tadvaddehamanāmayam / janitā dhriyate vittaṃ yauvanaṃ kinnu nāsti me
"Friends equally well-bred, and likewise a body free from illness—my begetter lives on, (there is) wealth, youth: what indeed do I not have?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.9
असत्यर्थे नृणां याञ्चाप्रवणं जायते मनः । सत्यशेषे कथं याञ्चां मम जिह्वा करिष्यति
asatyarthe nṛṇāṃ yāñcāpravaṇaṃ jāyate manaḥ / satyaśeṣe kathaṃ yāñcāṃ mama jihvā kariṣyati
"When there is no substance (left), men's minds become inclined to begging; while (my father) still survives, how shall my tongue make a request?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.10
यैर्न चिन्त्यं धनं किञ्चिन्मम गेहे ऽस्ति नास्ति वा । पितृबाहुतरुच्छायां संश्रिताः सुखिनो हि ते
yairna cintyaṃ dhanaṃ kiñcinmama gehe 'sti nāsti vā / pitṛbāhutarucchāyāṃ saṃśritāḥ sukhino hi te
"Those who need not consider whether there is any wealth in my house or not—they, sheltered in the shade of the tree of a father's arms, are indeed happy.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.11
ये तु बाल्यात् प्रभृत्येव विना पित्रा कुटुम्बिनः । ते सुखास्वादविभ्रंशान्मन्ये धात्रैव वञ्चिताः
ye tu bālyāt prabhṛtyeva vinā pitrā kuṭumbinaḥ / te sukhāsvādavibhraṃśānmanye dhātraiva vañcitāḥ
"But those who, from childhood onward, are householders without a father—they, I think, have been cheated by the Creator himself out of the tasting of that happiness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.12
तद्वयं त्वत्प्रसादेन धनरत्नादिसञ्चयान् । पितृमुक्तान् प्रयच्छामः कामतो नित्यमर्थिनाम्
tadvayaṃ tvatprasādena dhanaratnādisañcayān / pitṛmuktān prayacchāmaḥ kāmato nityamarthinām
"So we, by your favour, freely and always give to petitioners the hoards of wealth and jewels and the rest that our father has released (to us).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.13
तत् सर्वमिह संप्राप्तं यदङ्घ्रियुगलं तव । मच्चूडामणिना स्पृष्टं यच्चाङ्गस्पर्शमाप्तवान्
tat sarvamiha saṃprāptaṃ yadaṅghriyugalaṃ tava / maccūḍāmaṇinā spṛṣṭaṃ yaccāṅgasparśamāptavān
"All that has here been obtained by me, in that your pair of feet were touched by the jewel on my crest, and that I have gained the touch of your body.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.14
जड उवाच इत्येवं प्रसृतं वाक्यमुक्तः पन्नगसत्तमः । प्राह राजसुतं प्रीत्या पुत्रयोरुपकारिणम्
jaḍa uvāca ityevaṃ prasṛtaṃ vākyamuktaḥ pannagasattamaḥ / prāha rājasutaṃ prītyā putrayorupakāriṇam
Jaḍa said: Addressed with speech so effusive, the best of serpents spoke with affection to the king's son, the benefactor of his two sons:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.15
यदि रत्नसुवर्णादि मत्तो ऽवाप्तुं न ते मनः । यदन्यन्मनसः प्रीत्यै तद्ब्रूहि त्वं ददाम्यहम्
yadi ratnasuvarṇādi matto 'vāptuṃ na te manaḥ / yadanyanmanasaḥ prītyai tadbrūhi tvaṃ dadāmyaham
"If your mind is not (set) on obtaining jewels and gold and the like from me, tell me whatever else is for your mind's pleasure: I shall give it."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.16
भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन प्रार्थितस्य गृहे मम । सर्वमस्ति विशेषेण सम्प्राप्तं तव दर्शनात्
bhagavaṃstvatprasādena prārthitasya gṛhe mama / sarvamasti viśeṣeṇa samprāptaṃ tava darśanāt
"Lord, by your favour everything that could be asked for is in my house; and in particular it has all been obtained from the sight of you.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.17
कृतकृत्यो ऽस्मि चैतेन सफलं जीवितञ्च मे । यदङ्गसंश्लेषमितस्तव देवस्य मानुषः
kṛtakṛtyo 'smi caitena saphalaṃ jīvitañca me / yadaṅgasaṃśleṣamitastava devasya mānuṣaḥ
By this I have accomplished what was to be done, and my life has borne fruit, in that a human being here has (obtained) the touch of your body, of you a god.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.18
ममोत्तमाङ्गे त्वत्पादरजसा यदिहास्पदम् । कृतं तेनैव न प्राप्तं किं मया पन्नगेश्वर
mamottamāṅge tvatpādarajasā yadihāspadam / kṛtaṃ tenaiva na prāptaṃ kiṃ mayā pannageśvara
Since a place has been made here on my head by the dust of your feet, by that alone what has not been obtained by me, O lord of serpents?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.19
यदि त्ववश्यं दातव्यो वरो मम यथेप्सितः । तत्पुण्यकर्मसंस्कारो हृदयान्मा व्यपैतु मे
yadi tvavaśyaṃ dātavyo varo mama yathepsitaḥ / tatpuṇyakarmasaṃskāro hṛdayānmā vyapaitu me
But if a boon must certainly be given me as I desire, then let the disposition toward meritorious action not depart from my heart.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.20
सुवर्णमणिरत्नादि वाहनं गृहमासनम् । स्त्रियो ऽन्नपानं पुत्राश्च चारुमाल्यानुलेपन्
suvarṇamaṇiratnādi vāhanaṃ gṛhamāsanam / striyo 'nnapānaṃ putrāśca cārumālyānulepan
Gold, gems, jewels and the like, a vehicle, a house, a seat, women, food and drink, sons, and lovely garlands and unguents—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.21
एते च विविधाः कामा गीतवाद्यादिकञ्च यत् । सर्वमेतन्मम मतं फलं पुण्यवनस्पतेः
ete ca vividhāḥ kāmā gītavādyādikañca yat / sarvametanmama mataṃ phalaṃ puṇyavanaspateḥ
and these desires of many kinds, and whatever song and music and the rest there is—all this I consider the fruit of the tree of merit.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.22
तस्मान्नरेण तन्मुलः कार्यो यत्नः कृतात्मना । कर्तव्यः पुण्यसक्तानां न किञ्चिद्भुवि दुर्लभम्
tasmānnareṇa tanmulaḥ kāryo yatnaḥ kṛtātmanā / kartavyaḥ puṇyasaktānāṃ na kiñcidbhuvi durlabham
Therefore a man of disciplined self should make his effort rooted in that; for those devoted to merit nothing on earth is hard to obtain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.23
एवं भविष्यति प्राज्ञ ! तव धर्माश्रिता मतिः । सत्यञ्चैतत् फलं सर्वं धर्मस्योक्तं यथा त्वया
evaṃ bhaviṣyati prājña ! tava dharmāśritā matiḥ / satyañcaitat phalaṃ sarvaṃ dharmasyoktaṃ yathā tvayā
So shall it be, O wise one; your mind is grounded in dharma. And true is all this fruit of dharma, just as it has been declared by you.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.24
तथाप्यवश्यं मद्गेहमागतेन त्वयाधुना । ग्राह्यं यन्मानुषे लोके दुष्प्राप्तं भवतो मतम्
tathāpyavaśyaṃ madgehamāgatena tvayādhunā / grāhyaṃ yanmānuṣe loke duṣprāptaṃ bhavato matam
Nevertheless, since you have now come to my house, you must certainly accept whatever is held by you to be hard to obtain in the world of men.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.25
तस्यैतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स तदा नृपनन्दनः । मुकावलोकनञ्चक्रे पन्नगेश्वरपुत्रयोः
tasyaitadvacanaṃ śrutvā sa tadā nṛpanandanaḥ / mukāvalokanañcakre pannageśvaraputrayoḥ
Hearing this speech of his, the prince then looked at the faces of the two sons of the serpent king.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.26
ततस्तौ प्रणिपत्योभौ राजपुत्रस्य यन्मतम् । तत् पितुः सकलं वीरौ कथयामासतुः स्फुटम्
tatastau praṇipatyobhau rājaputrasya yanmatam / tat pituḥ sakalaṃ vīrau kathayāmāsatuḥ sphuṭam
Then the two heroes, both bowing down, told their father plainly all that was in the prince's mind.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.27
ततो ऽस्य पत्नी दयिता श्रुत्वेमं विनिपातितम् । अत्यजद्दयितान् प्राणान् विप्रलब्धा दुरात्मना
tato 'sya patnī dayitā śrutvemaṃ vinipātitam / atyajaddayitān prāṇān vipralabdhā durātmanā
"Then his beloved wife, hearing that he had been struck down, gave up her dear life, deceived by an evil-souled one—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.28
केनापि कृतवैरेण दानवेन कुबुद्धिना । गन्धर्वराजस्य सुता नाम्ना ख्याता मदालसा
kenāpi kṛtavaireṇa dānavena kubuddhinā / gandharvarājasya sutā nāmnā khyātā madālasā
by some malicious dānava who had conceived enmity (against him). (She was) the daughter of the gandharva king, known by the name Madālasā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.29
कुतज्ञो ऽयं ततस्तात ! प्रतिज्ञां कृतवानिमाम् । नान्या भार्या भवित्रीति वर्जयित्वा मदालसाम्
kutajño 'yaṃ tatastāta ! pratijñāṃ kṛtavānimām / nānyā bhāryā bhavitrīti varjayitvā madālasām
So then, father, this grateful one made this vow: 'No other than Madālasā shall be my wife.'
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 24.30
द्रष्टुं तां चारुसर्वाङ्गीमयं वीर ! ऋतध्वजः । तात ! वाञ्छति यद्येतत् क्रियते तत् कृतं भवेत्
draṣṭuṃ tāṃ cārusarvāṅgīmayaṃ vīra ! ṛtadhvajaḥ / tāta ! vāñchati yadyetat kriyate tat kṛtaṃ bhavet
This hero Ṛtadhvaja wishes to see her whose every limb is lovely; father, if this be done, then it would be as good as accomplished.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.31
भूतैर्वियोगिनो योगस्तादृशैरेव तादृशः । कथमेतद्विना स्वप्नं मायां वा शम्बरोदिताम्
bhūtairviyogino yogastādṛśaireva tādṛśaḥ / kathametadvinā svapnaṃ māyāṃ vā śambaroditām
For one parted (from her) by (those) beings, union with such beings is of such a kind—how is this (possible) apart from a dream, or the magic conjured by Śambara?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 24.32
प्रणिपत्य भुजङ्गेशं पुत्रः शत्रुजितस्ततः । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं प्रेमलज्जासमन्वितः
praṇipatya bhujaṅgeśaṃ putraḥ śatrujitastataḥ / pratyuvāca mahātmānaṃ premalajjāsamanvitaḥ
Then the son of Śatrujit, bowing to the lord of serpents, replied to that great one, filled with love and shame.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.33
मायामयीमप्यधुना मम तात ! मदालसाम् । यदि दर्शयते मन्ये परं कृतमनुग्रहम्
māyāmayīmapyadhunā mama tāta ! madālasām / yadi darśayate manye paraṃ kṛtamanugraham
"Father, if he shows me Madālasā even now, though made of illusion, I shall consider the highest favour done to me."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.34
तस्मात् पश्येह वत्स ! त्वं मायाञ्चेद् द्रष्टुमिच्छसि । अनुग्राह्यो भवान् गेहं बालो ऽप्यभ्यागतो गुरुः
tasmāt paśyeha vatsa ! tvaṃ māyāñced draṣṭumicchasi / anugrāhyo bhavān gehaṃ bālo 'pyabhyāgato guruḥ
"Therefore look here, my child, if you wish to see the illusion. You are one to be favoured: a guest who comes to the house, even a boy, is a venerable person."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.35
आनयामास नागेन्द्रो गृहगुप्तां मदालसाम् । तेषां संमोहनार्थाय ज्जल्प च ततः स्फुटम्
ānayāmāsa nāgendro gṛhaguptāṃ madālasām / teṣāṃ saṃmohanārthāya jjalpa ca tataḥ sphuṭam
The lord of nāgas had Madālasā, who was hidden in the house, brought forth, and then spoke plainly, in order to bewilder them.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 24.36
दर्शयामास च तदा राजपुत्राय तां शुभाम् । सेयं न वेति ते भार्या राजपुत्र ! मदालसा
darśayāmāsa ca tadā rājaputrāya tāṃ śubhām / seyaṃ na veti te bhāryā rājaputra ! madālasā
And then he showed that fair woman to the prince: "Is this your wife Madālasā, prince, or not?"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.37
स दृष्ट्वा तां तदा तन्वीं तत्क्षणात् विगतत्रपः । प्रियेति तामभिमुखं ययौ वाचमुदीरयन् । निवारयामास च तं नागः सो ऽश्वतरस्त्वरन्
sa dṛṣṭvā tāṃ tadā tanvīṃ tatkṣaṇāt vigatatrapaḥ / priyeti tāmabhimukhaṃ yayau vācamudīrayan / nivārayāmāsa ca taṃ nāgaḥ so 'śvatarastvaran
Seeing her then, the slender one, in that instant he lost all restraint; crying "Beloved!" he went toward her, uttering the word; but that nāga Aśvatara quickly held him back.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.38
मायेयं पुत्र ! मा स्प्राक्षीः प्रागेव कथितं तव । अन्तर्धानमुपैत्याशु माया संस्पर्शनादिभिः
māyeyaṃ putra ! mā sprākṣīḥ prāgeva kathitaṃ tava / antardhānamupaityāśu māyā saṃsparśanādibhiḥ
"This is an illusion, son! Do not touch her — I told you before: an illusion swiftly vanishes when touched and so on."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.39
ततः पपात मेदिन्यां स तु मूर्च्छापरिप्लुतः । हा प्रियेति वदन् सो ऽथ चिन्तयामास भामिनीम्
tataḥ papāta medinyāṃ sa tu mūrcchāpariplutaḥ / hā priyeti vadan so 'tha cintayāmāsa bhāminīm
Then he fell to the ground, overwhelmed by a swoon, crying "Alas, beloved!", and then he brooded on the lovely woman.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.40
अहो स्नेहो ऽस्य नृपतेर्ममोपर्यचलं मनः । येनायं पातनो ऽरीणां विना शस्त्रेण पातितः
aho sneho 'sya nṛpatermamoparyacalaṃ manaḥ / yenāyaṃ pātano 'rīṇāṃ vinā śastreṇa pātitaḥ
"Ah, this prince's love for me is a mind unshakable, whereby he, the feller of foes, has been felled without a weapon.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.41
मायेति दर्शिता तेन मिथ्या मायेति यत्स्फुटम् । वाय्वम्बुतेजसां भुमेराकाशस्य च चेष्टया
māyeti darśitā tena mithyā māyeti yatsphuṭam / vāyvambutejasāṃ bhumerākāśasya ca ceṣṭayā
That she was shown by him as an illusion was false — for that (a thing) is an illusion is (only) evident from the workings of wind, water, fire, earth and ether."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 24.42
ततः कुवलयाश्वं तं समाश्वास्य भुजङ्गमः । कथयामास तत् सर्वं मृतसञ्जीवनादिकम्
tataḥ kuvalayāśvaṃ taṃ samāśvāsya bhujaṅgamaḥ / kathayāmāsa tat sarvaṃ mṛtasañjīvanādikam
Then the serpent, having comforted that Kuvalayāśva, told him all of it, beginning with the reviving of the dead.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 24.43
ततः प्रहृष्टः प्रतिलभ्य कान्तां प्रणम्य नागं निजगाम सो ऽथ । सुशोभमानः स्वपुरं तमश्वम् आरुह्य संचिन्तितमभ्युपतेम्
tataḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ pratilabhya kāntāṃ praṇamya nāgaṃ nijagāma so 'tha / suśobhamānaḥ svapuraṃ tamaśvam āruhya saṃcintitamabhyupatem
Then, delighted at having recovered his beloved, he bowed to the nāga and departed, resplendent, to his own city, mounting that horse which came the moment it was thought of.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition