Markandeya Purana — Chapter 46
MkP 46.1
क्रौष्टुकिरुवाच भगवंस्त्वण्डसम्भूतिर्यथावत् कथिता मम । ब्रह्माण्डे ब्रह्मणो जन्म तथा चोक्तं महात्मनः
krauṣṭukiruvāca bhagavaṃstvaṇḍasambhūtiryathāvat kathitā mama / brahmāṇḍe brahmaṇo janma tathā coktaṃ mahātmanaḥ
Krauṣṭuki said: Lord, the origin of the egg has been duly told to me, and likewise the birth of the great-souled Brahmā within the world-egg has been related.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.2
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं त्वत्तो भृगुकुलोद्भव । यदान सृष्टिर्भूतानामस्ति किन्नु न चास्ति वा । काले वै प्रलयस्यान्ते सर्वस्मिन्नुपसंहृते
etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ tvatto bhṛgukulodbhava / yadāna sṛṣṭirbhūtānāmasti kinnu na cāsti vā / kāle vai pralayasyānte sarvasminnupasaṃhṛte
This I wish to hear from you, O offspring of Bhṛgu's line: when there is no creation of beings, is there anything at all or is there not? — at the time, at the end of the dissolution, when everything has been withdrawn.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.3
यदा तु प्रकृतौ याति लयं विश्वमिदं जगत् । तदोच्यते प्राकृतो ऽयं विद्वद्भिः प्रतिसञ्चरः
yadā tu prakṛtau yāti layaṃ viśvamidaṃ jagat / tadocyate prākṛto 'yaṃ vidvadbhiḥ pratisañcaraḥ
But when this whole universe goes to dissolution in prakṛti, then this is called by the learned the reabsorption into prakṛti.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.4
स्वात्मन्यवस्थितेव्यक्ते विकारे प्रतिसंहृते । प्रकृतिः पुरुषश्चैव साधर्म्येणावतिष्ठतः
svātmanyavasthitevyakte vikāre pratisaṃhṛte / prakṛtiḥ puruṣaścaiva sādharmyeṇāvatiṣṭhataḥ
When the modification has been withdrawn, the Unmanifest abiding in its own self, prakṛti and the Person remain in a like condition.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.5
तदा तमश्च सत्त्वञ्च समत्वेन व्यवस्थितौ । अनुद्रिक्तावनूनौ च तत्प्रोतौ च परस्परम्
tadā tamaśca sattvañca samatvena vyavasthitau / anudriktāvanūnau ca tatprotau ca parasparam
Then darkness (tamas) and goodness (sattva) stand in equality, neither in excess nor deficient, and interwoven with each other.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.6
तिलेषु वा यथा तैलं घृतं पयसि वा स्थितम् । तथा तमसि सत्त्वे च रजो ऽप्यनुसृतं स्थितम्
tileṣu vā yathā tailaṃ ghṛtaṃ payasi vā sthitam / tathā tamasi sattve ca rajo 'pyanusṛtaṃ sthitam
As oil is present in sesame seeds, or ghee in milk, so too rajas remains pervading tamas and sattva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.7
उत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मणो यावदायुषो द्विपरार्धिकम् । तावद्दिनं परेशस्य तत्समा संयमे निशा
utpattirbrahmaṇo yāvadāyuṣo dviparārdhikam / tāvaddinaṃ pareśasya tatsamā saṃyame niśā
The existence of Brahmā lasts as long as a lifespan of two parārdhas; that much is a single day of the supreme Lord, and equal to it is (his) night at the time of dissolution.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.8
अहर्मुखे प्रबुद्धस्तु जगदादिरनादिमान् । सर्वहेतुरचिन्त्यात्मा परः को ऽप्यपरक्रियः
aharmukhe prabuddhastu jagadādiranādimān / sarvaheturacintyātmā paraḥ ko 'pyaparakriyaḥ
But at the opening of day, awakened, he—the beginning of the world, himself without beginning, the cause of all, of unthinkable nature, supreme, someone beyond, without any further activity—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.9
प्रकृतिं पुरुषञ्चैव प्राविश्याशु जगत्पतिः । क्षोभयामास योगेन परेण परमेश्वरः
prakṛtiṃ puruṣañcaiva prāviśyāśu jagatpatiḥ / kṣobhayāmāsa yogena pareṇa parameśvaraḥ
the Lord of the world, the supreme Ruler, having swiftly entered into both Nature (prakṛti) and Person (puruṣa), stirred (them) up by (his) supreme yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.10
यथा मदो नवस्त्रीणां यथा वा माधवानिलः । अनुप्रविष्टः क्षोभाय तथासौ योगमूर्तिमान्
yathā mado navastrīṇāṃ yathā vā mādhavānilaḥ / anupraviṣṭaḥ kṣobhāya tathāsau yogamūrtimān
As the intoxication of young women, or as the spring wind, when it has entered in, (leads) to agitation, so does he, whose very body is yoga.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 46.11
प्रधाने क्षोभ्यमाने तु स देवो ब्रह्मसंज्ञितः । समुत्पन्नो ऽण्डकोषस्थो यथा ते कथितं मया
pradhāne kṣobhyamāne tu sa devo brahmasaṃjñitaḥ / samutpanno 'ṇḍakoṣastho yathā te kathitaṃ mayā
And when the primal matter (pradhāna) was being stirred, that god named Brahmā arose, seated within the egg-shell, as has been told to you by me.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.12
स एव क्षोभकः पूर्वं स क्षोभ्यः प्रकृतेः पतिः । स सङ्कोचविकाशाभ्यां प्रधानत्वे ऽपि च स्थितः
sa eva kṣobhakaḥ pūrvaṃ sa kṣobhyaḥ prakṛteḥ patiḥ / sa saṅkocavikāśābhyāṃ pradhānatve 'pi ca sthitaḥ
He himself was earlier the stirrer, and he, the lord of Nature, is the one to be stirred; by contraction and expansion he abides also in the state of being the pradhāna.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.13
अत्पन्नः स जगद्योनिरगुणो ऽपि रजोगुणम् । भुञ्जन् प्रवर्तते सर्गे ब्रह्मत्वं समुपाश्रितः
atpannaḥ sa jagadyoniraguṇo 'pi rajoguṇam / bhuñjan pravartate sarge brahmatvaṃ samupāśritaḥ
Arisen, he, the womb of the world, though without qualities, enjoying the quality of rajas, engages in creation, having taken on the state of Brahmā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.14
ब्रह्मत्वे स प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा ततः सत्त्वातिरेकवान् । विष्णुत्वमेत्य धर्मेण कुरुते परिपालनम्
brahmatve sa prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā tataḥ sattvātirekavān / viṣṇutvametya dharmeṇa kurute paripālanam
In the state of Brahmā, having created creatures, then, having a preponderance of sattva, he comes to the state of Viṣṇu and performs the preservation (of them) in accordance with dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.15
ततस्तमोगुणोद्रिक्तो रुद्रत्वे चाखिलं जगत् । उपसंहृत्य वै शेते त्रैलोक्यं त्रिगुणो ऽगुणः
tatastamoguṇodrikto rudratve cākhilaṃ jagat / upasaṃhṛtya vai śete trailokyaṃ triguṇo 'guṇaḥ
Then, with the quality of tamas predominant, in the state of Rudra, having withdrawn the entire world, he sleeps—he who is of three qualities and (yet) without quality—(withdrawing) the triple world.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.16
यथा प्राग्व्यापकः क्षेत्री पालको लावकस्तथा । यथा स संज्ञामायाति ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशकारिणीम्
yathā prāgvyāpakaḥ kṣetrī pālako lāvakastathā / yathā sa saṃjñāmāyāti brahmaviṣṇvīśakāriṇīm
Just as the owner of a field first sows, then protects, and then reaps, so does he come to the designation that denotes the making of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśa.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MkP 46.18
ब्रह्मत्वे सृजते लोकान् रुद्रत्वे संहरत्यपि । विष्णुत्वे चाप्युदासीनस्तिस्त्रो ऽवस्थाः स्वयम्भुवः ॥ मर्क्प्_४६।१७ ॥ रजो ब्रह्मा तमो रुद्रो विष्णुः सत्त्वं जगत्पतिः । एत एव त्रयो देवा एत एव त्रयो गुणाः
brahmatve sṛjate lokān rudratve saṃharatyapi / viṣṇutve cāpyudāsīnastistro 'vasthāḥ svayambhuvaḥ // markp_46.17 // rajo brahmā tamo rudro viṣṇuḥ sattvaṃ jagatpatiḥ / eta eva trayo devā eta eva trayo guṇāḥ
In the state of Brahmā he creates the worlds, in the state of Rudra he also destroys them, and in the state of Viṣṇu he is indifferent: these are the three conditions of the Self-existent. // Rajas is Brahmā, tamas is Rudra, sattva is Viṣṇu the lord of the world: these very ones are the three gods, these very ones are the three qualities.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.19
अन्योन्यमिथुना ह्येते अन्योन्याश्रयिणस्तथा । क्षणं वियोगो नह्येषां न त्यजन्ति परस्परम्
anyonyamithunā hyete anyonyāśrayiṇastathā / kṣaṇaṃ viyogo nahyeṣāṃ na tyajanti parasparam
For these are paired with one another and dependent on one another; there is not for them separation even for a moment—they do not abandon each other.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.20
एवं ब्रह्मा जगत्पूर्वो देवदेवश्चतुर्मुखः । रजोगुणं समाश्रित्य स्त्रष्ट्टत्वे स व्यवस्थितः
evaṃ brahmā jagatpūrvo devadevaścaturmukhaḥ / rajoguṇaṃ samāśritya straṣṭṭatve sa vyavasthitaḥ
Thus Brahmā, prior to the world, the god of gods, four-faced, resorting to the quality of rajas, was established in the state of creator.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.21
हिरण्यगर्भो देवादिरनादिरुपचारतः । भूपद्मकर्णिकासंस्थो ब्रह्माग्रे समजायत
hiraṇyagarbho devādiranādirupacārataḥ / bhūpadmakarṇikāsaṃstho brahmāgre samajāyata
Hiraṇyagarbha, the first of the gods, beginningless (only) by a figure of speech, seated on the pericarp of the earth-lotus, Brahmā came into being first.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.22
तस्य वर्षशतं त्वेकं परमायुर्महात्मनः । ब्रह्म्येणैव हि मानेन तस्य संख्यां निबोध मे
tasya varṣaśataṃ tvekaṃ paramāyurmahātmanaḥ / brahmyeṇaiva hi mānena tasya saṃkhyāṃ nibodha me
His utmost life-span, that of the great one, is one hundred years, by Brahmā's own measure; learn from me the reckoning of it.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.23
निमेषैर्दशभिः काष्ठा तथा पञ्चभिरुच्यते । कलास्त्रिंशच्च वै काष्ठा मुहूर्तं त्रिंशत्ताः कलाः
nimeṣairdaśabhiḥ kāṣṭhā tathā pañcabhirucyate / kalāstriṃśacca vai kāṣṭhā muhūrtaṃ triṃśattāḥ kalāḥ
By ten nimeṣas and five more a kāṣṭhā is declared; thirty kāṣṭhās are a kalā, and thirty of those kalās a muhūrta.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.24
अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तानां नृणां त्रिंशत्तु वै स्मृतम् । अहोरात्रैश्च त्रिंशद्भिः पक्षौ द्वौ मास उच्यते
ahorātraṃ muhūrtānāṃ nṛṇāṃ triṃśattu vai smṛtam / ahorātraiśca triṃśadbhiḥ pakṣau dvau māsa ucyate
A day and night of men is remembered as thirty muhūrtas; and by thirty days and nights (are) the two fortnights, which is called a month.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.25
तैः षड्भिरयनं वर्षं द्वे ऽयने दक्षिणोत्तरे । तद्देवानामहोरात्रं दिनं तत्रोत्तरायणम्
taiḥ ṣaḍbhirayanaṃ varṣaṃ dve 'yane dakṣiṇottare / taddevānāmahorātraṃ dinaṃ tatrottarāyaṇam
By six of those (months) an ayana, (by two) a year; the two ayanas are the southern and the northern. That is a day and night of the gods, the day therein being the northern course.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.26
दिव्यैर्वर्षसहस्रैस्तु कृतत्रेतादिसंज्ञितम् । चतुर्युगं द्वादशभिस्तद्विभागं शृणुष्व मे
divyairvarṣasahasraistu kṛtatretādisaṃjñitam / caturyugaṃ dvādaśabhistadvibhāgaṃ śṛṇuṣva me
But by twelve thousand divine years (comes about) the set of four ages named Kṛta, Tretā, and the rest; hear from me its division.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.27
चत्वारि तु सहस्राणि वर्षाणां कृतमुच्यते । शतानि सन्ध्या चत्वारि सन्ध्यांशश्च तथाविधः
catvāri tu sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ kṛtamucyate / śatāni sandhyā catvāri sandhyāṃśaśca tathāvidhaḥ
Four thousand years is called the Kṛta; four hundred is its twilight, and the twilight-portion is of the same measure.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.28
त्रेता त्रीणि सहस्राणि दिव्याब्दानां शतत्रयम् । तत्सन्ध्या तत्समा चैव सन्ध्यांशश्च तथाविधः
tretā trīṇi sahasrāṇi divyābdānāṃ śatatrayam / tatsandhyā tatsamā caiva sandhyāṃśaśca tathāvidhaḥ
The Tretā (age is) three thousand and three hundred divine years; its twilight is equal to that (three hundred), and the twilight-portion is of the same measure.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.29
द्वापरं द्वे सहस्रे तु वर्षाणां द्वे शते तथा । तस्य सन्ध्या समाख्याता द्वे शताब्दे तदंशकः
dvāparaṃ dve sahasre tu varṣāṇāṃ dve śate tathā / tasya sandhyā samākhyātā dve śatābde tadaṃśakaḥ
But the Dvāpara (is) two thousand years and likewise two hundred; its twilight is declared to be two hundred years, and its portion (the same).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.30
कलिः सहस्रं दिव्यानामब्दानां द्विजसत्तम । सन्ध्या सन्ध्यांशकश्चैव शतकौ समुदाहृतौ
kaliḥ sahasraṃ divyānāmabdānāṃ dvijasattama / sandhyā sandhyāṃśakaścaiva śatakau samudāhṛtau
The Kali (is) one thousand divine years, O best of the twice-born; and its twilight and twilight-portion are each said to be a hundred.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.31
एषा द्वाधशसाहस्त्री युगाख्या कविभिः कृता । एतत् सहस्रगुणितमो ब्राह्म्यमुदाहृतम्
eṣā dvādhaśasāhastrī yugākhyā kavibhiḥ kṛtā / etat sahasraguṇitamo brāhmyamudāhṛtam
This (period) of twelve thousand (years) has been made (into) the designation "yuga" by the wise; this, multiplied by a thousand, is declared to be a day of Brahmā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.32
ब्रह्मणो दिवसे ब्रह्मन् मनवः स्युश्चतुर्दश । भवन्ति भागशस्तेषां सहस्रं तद्विभज्यते
brahmaṇo divase brahman manavaḥ syuścaturdaśa / bhavanti bhāgaśasteṣāṃ sahasraṃ tadvibhajyate
In a day of Brahmā, O brahman, there are fourteen Manus; they come to be by portions, and that thousand is divided among them.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.33
देवाः सप्तर्षयः सेन्द्रा मनुस्तत्सूनवो नृपाः । मनुना सह सृज्यन्ते संह्रियन्ते च पूर्ववत्
devāḥ saptarṣayaḥ sendrā manustatsūnavo nṛpāḥ / manunā saha sṛjyante saṃhriyante ca pūrvavat
The gods, the seven sages together with Indra, the Manu, his sons the kings — they are created along with the Manu and withdrawn (again), as before.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.34
चतुर्युगानां संख्याता साधिका ह्ये कसप्ततिः । मन्वन्तरं तस्य संख्यां मानुषाब्दैर्निबोध मे
caturyugānāṃ saṃkhyātā sādhikā hye kasaptatiḥ / manvantaraṃ tasya saṃkhyāṃ mānuṣābdairnibodha me
Seventy-one sets of four ages, with a surplus, are reckoned (as) a Manu-period; learn from me its reckoning in human years.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.35
त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तु संपूर्णाः संख्याताः संख्यया द्विज । सत्पषष्टिस्तथान्यानि नियुतानि च संख्यया
triṃśatkoṭyastu saṃpūrṇāḥ saṃkhyātāḥ saṃkhyayā dvija / satpaṣaṣṭistathānyāni niyutāni ca saṃkhyayā
Thirty full crores are reckoned by count, O twice-born, and likewise another sixty-seven lakhs by count,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.36
विंशतिश्च सहस्राणि कालो ऽयं साधिकं विना । एतन्मन्वन्तरं प्रोक्तं दिव्यैर्वर्षैर्निबोध मे
viṃśatiśca sahasrāṇi kālo 'yaṃ sādhikaṃ vinā / etanmanvantaraṃ proktaṃ divyairvarṣairnibodha me
and twenty thousand: this is the (whole) time apart from the surplus. This has been declared to be the Manu-period; (now) learn from me (its measure) in divine years.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.37
अष्टौ वर्षसहस्राणि दिव्यया संख्यया युतम् । द्विपञ्चाशत्तथान्यानि सहस्राण्यधिकानि तु
aṣṭau varṣasahasrāṇi divyayā saṃkhyayā yutam / dvipañcāśattathānyāni sahasrāṇyadhikāni tu
By the divine reckoning it amounts to eight thousand years, and moreover another fifty-two thousand in addition.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.38
चतुर्दशगुणो ह्येष कालो ब्रह्म्यमहः स्मृतम् । तस्यान्ते प्रलयः प्रोक्तो ब्रह्मन् नैमित्तिको बुधैः
caturdaśaguṇo hyeṣa kālo brahmyamahaḥ smṛtam / tasyānte pralayaḥ prokto brahman naimittiko budhaiḥ
This time multiplied fourteenfold is held to be a day of Brahmā; at its end, O brahman, the wise declare there is the occasional dissolution.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.39
भूर्लोको ऽथ भुवर्लोकः स्वर्लोकश्च विनाशिनः । तथा विनाशमायान्ति महर्लोकश्च तिष्ठति
bhūrloko 'tha bhuvarlokaḥ svarlokaśca vināśinaḥ / tathā vināśamāyānti maharlokaśca tiṣṭhati
The Bhūr-world, then the Bhuvar-world, and the Svar-world are perishable; thus they go to destruction, but the Mahar-world remains.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.40
तद्वासिनो ऽपि तापेन जनलोकं प्रयान्ति वै । एकार्णवे च त्रैलोक्ये ब्रह्मा स्वपिति वै निशि
tadvāsino 'pi tāpena janalokaṃ prayānti vai / ekārṇave ca trailokye brahmā svapiti vai niśi
Yet its dwellers too, because of the heat, go to the Jana-world; and when the three worlds have become a single ocean, Brahmā sleeps through the night.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.41
तत्प्रमाणैव सा रात्रिस्तदन्ते सृज्यते पुनः । एवन्तु ब्रह्मणो वर्षमेकं वर्षशतन्तु तत्
tatpramāṇaiva sā rātristadante sṛjyate punaḥ / evantu brahmaṇo varṣamekaṃ varṣaśatantu tat
That night is of just that measure, and at its end (the world) is created again. Thus is one year of Brahmā, and a hundred of those years (make his lifetime).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.42
शतं हि तस्य वर्षाणां परमित्यभिधीयते । पञ्चाशद्भिस्तथा वर्षैः परार्धमिति कीर्त्यते
śataṃ hi tasya varṣāṇāṃ paramityabhidhīyate / pañcāśadbhistathā varṣaiḥ parārdhamiti kīrtyate
A hundred of his years is called "para"; and by fifty years is proclaimed the "parārdha" (half of para).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.43
एवमस्य परार्धन्तु व्यतीतं द्विजसत्तम । यस्यान्ते ऽभून्महाकल्पः पाद्म इत्यभिविश्रुतः
evamasya parārdhantu vyatītaṃ dvijasattama / yasyānte 'bhūnmahākalpaḥ pādma ityabhiviśrutaḥ
Thus one parārdha of his has passed, O best of the twice-born, at the end of which came the great kalpa widely known as the Pādma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MkP 46.44
द्वितीयस्य परार्धस्य वर्तमानस्य वै द्विज । वाराह इति कल्पो ऽयं प्रथमः परिकल्पितः
dvitīyasya parārdhasya vartamānasya vai dvija / vārāha iti kalpo 'yaṃ prathamaḥ parikalpitaḥ
Of the second parārdha, which is now in progress, O twice-born, this kalpa called Vārāha is reckoned the first.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition