Markandeya Purana — Chapter 9

MkP 9.1

पक्षिण ऊचुः राज्यच्युते हरिश्चन्द्रे गते च त्रिदशालयम् । निश्चक्राम महातेजा जलवासात् पुरोहितः

pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ rājyacyute hariścandre gate ca tridaśālayam / niścakrāma mahātejā jalavāsāt purohitaḥ

The birds said: When Hariścandra had fallen from his kingdom and gone to the abode of the thirty (gods), the priest of great splendour came forth from his dwelling in the water.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.2

वशिष्ठो द्वादशाब्दान्ते गङ्गापर्युषितो मुनिः । शुश्राव च समस्तन्तु विश्वामित्रविचेष्चितम्

vaśiṣṭho dvādaśābdānte gaṅgāparyuṣito muniḥ / śuśrāva ca samastantu viśvāmitraviceṣcitam

Vasiṣṭha, the sage, who at the end of twelve years had been abiding in the Gaṅgā, heard the whole of what Viśvāmitra had done,

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.3

हरिश्चन्द्रस्य नाशञ्च राज्ञश्चोदारकर्मणः । चण्डालसम्प्रयोगञ्च भार्यातनयविक्रयम्

hariścandrasya nāśañca rājñaścodārakarmaṇaḥ / caṇḍālasamprayogañca bhāryātanayavikrayam

and the ruin of Hariścandra, the king of noble deeds, and his association with a Caṇḍāla, and the sale of his wife and son.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.4

स श्रुत्वा सुमाहभागः प्रीतिमानवनीपतौ । चकार कोपं तेजस्वी विश्वामित्रमृषिं प्रति

sa śrutvā sumāhabhāgaḥ prītimānavanīpatau / cakāra kopaṃ tejasvī viśvāmitramṛṣiṃ prati

Having heard (this), that most fortunate and fiery one, who was fond of the lord of the earth, grew angry toward the sage Viśvāmitra.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.5

मम पुत्रशतं तेन विश्वामित्रेण घातितम् । तत्रापि नाभवत् क्रोधस्तादृशो यादृशो ऽद्य मे

mama putraśataṃ tena viśvāmitreṇa ghātitam / tatrāpi nābhavat krodhastādṛśo yādṛśo 'dya me

"A hundred sons of mine were slain by that Viśvāmitra; yet even then there arose in me no such anger as I have today.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.6

श्रुत्वा नराधिपमिमं स्वराज्यादवरीपितम् । महात्मानं महाभागं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम्

śrutvā narādhipamimaṃ svarājyādavarīpitam / mahātmānaṃ mahābhāgaṃ devabrāhmaṇapūjakam

"—hearing (that) this lord of men has been brought down from his own kingdom, (he) a great soul, greatly blessed, a worshipper of gods and Brahmins;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.7

यस्मात् स सत्यवाक् शान्तः शत्रावपि विमत्सरः । अनागाश्चैव धर्मात्मा अप्रमत्तो मदाश्रयः

yasmāt sa satyavāk śāntaḥ śatrāvapi vimatsaraḥ / anāgāścaiva dharmātmā apramatto madāśrayaḥ

"Since he was truthful in speech, calm, free of malice even toward an enemy, sinless, of righteous nature, vigilant, and dependent on me—

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.8

सपत्नीभृत्यपुत्रस्तु प्रापितो ऽन्त्यां दशां नृपः । स राज्याच्च्यावितो ऽनेन बहुशश्च खिलीकृतः

sapatnībhṛtyaputrastu prāpito 'ntyāṃ daśāṃ nṛpaḥ / sa rājyāccyāvito 'nena bahuśaśca khilīkṛtaḥ

"yet the king, together with his wife, servants and son, was brought to the last extremity; he was made to fall from his kingdom by this man and was many times reduced to nothing;

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.9

तस्माद् दुरात्मा ब्रह्मद्विट् प्राज्ञानामवरोपितः । मच्छापोपहतो मूढः स बकत्वमवाप्स्यति

tasmād durātmā brahmadviṭ prājñānāmavaropitaḥ / macchāpopahato mūḍhaḥ sa bakatvamavāpsyati

"therefore that evil-souled hater of Brahmins, cast down from the ranks of the wise, stricken by my curse, the fool, shall attain the state of a heron."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.10

श्रुत्वा शापं महातेजा विश्वामित्रो ऽपि कौशिकः । त्वमप्याडिर्भवस्तेवति प्रतिशापमयच्छत

śrutvā śāpaṃ mahātejā viśvāmitro 'pi kauśikaḥ / tvamapyāḍirbhavastevati pratiśāpamayacchata

Hearing the curse, Viśvāmitra of great splendour, the Kauśika, also gave a counter-curse: "You too shall become an āḍi bird."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.11

अन्यो ऽन्यशापात् तौ प्राप्तौ तिर्यक्त्वं परमद्युती । वशिष्ठः स महातेजा विश्वामित्रश्च कौशिकः

anyo 'nyaśāpāt tau prāptau tiryaktvaṃ paramadyutī / vaśiṣṭhaḥ sa mahātejā viśvāmitraśca kauśikaḥ

By each other's curse those two of supreme brilliance attained the condition of animals—Vasiṣṭha of great splendour and Viśvāmitra the Kauśika.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.12

अन्यजातिसमायोगं गतावप्यमितौजसौ । युयुधाते ऽतिसंरब्धौ महाबलपराक्रमौ

anyajātisamāyogaṃ gatāvapyamitaujasau / yuyudhāte 'tisaṃrabdhau mahābalaparākramau

Though they had entered into union with another species, the two of measureless might, of great strength and prowess, fought on, exceedingly enraged.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.13

योजनानां सहस्रे द्वे प्रमाणेनाडिरुच्छ्रितः । यन्नवत्यधिकं ब्रह्मन् ! सहस्रत्रितयं बकः

yojanānāṃ sahasre dve pramāṇenāḍirucchritaḥ / yannavatyadhikaṃ brahman ! sahasratritayaṃ bakaḥ

In measure the āḍi rose up two thousand yojanas, and the heron, O Brahmin, three thousand and ninety.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.14

तौ तु पक्षप्रहाराभ्यामन्योन्यस्योरुविक्रमौ । प्रहरन्तौ भयं तीव्रं प्रजानाञ्चक्रतुस्तदा

tau tu pakṣaprahārābhyāmanyonyasyoruvikramau / praharantau bhayaṃ tīvraṃ prajānāñcakratustadā

And those two, of mighty valour, striking each other with blows of their wings, then caused sharp terror to the creatures.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.15

विधूय पक्षाणि बको रक्तोद्वृत्ताक्षिराहनत् । आडिं सो ऽप्युन्नतग्रीवो बकं पद्भ्यामताडयत्

vidhūya pakṣāṇi bako raktodvṛttākṣirāhanat / āḍiṃ so 'pyunnatagrīvo bakaṃ padbhyāmatāḍayat

Shaking his wings, the heron, his eyes rolling and red, struck the āḍi; and he too, with neck upraised, beat the heron with his feet.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.16

तयोः पक्षानिलापास्ताः प्रपेतुर्गिरयो भुवि । गिरिप्रपाताभिहता चकम्पे च वसुन्धरा

tayoḥ pakṣānilāpāstāḥ prapeturgirayo bhuvi / giriprapātābhihatā cakampe ca vasundharā

Mountains, flung away by the wind of their wings, fell to the ground; and the earth, struck by the falling of the mountains, trembled.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.17

क्ष्मा कम्पमाना जलधीनुद्वृत्ताम्बूंश्चकार च । ननाम चैकपार्श्वेन पातालगमनोन्मुखी

kṣmā kampamānā jaladhīnudvṛttāmbūṃścakāra ca / nanāma caikapārśvena pātālagamanonmukhī

The trembling earth made the oceans' waters overflow, and it sank down on one side, tending toward a descent into Pātāla.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.18

केचिदिगरिनिपातेन केचिदम्भोधिवारिणा । केचिन्महीसञ्चलनात् प्रययुः प्राणिनः क्षयम्

kecidigarinipātena kecidambhodhivāriṇā / kecinmahīsañcalanāt prayayuḥ prāṇinaḥ kṣayam

Some living beings perished by the falling of mountains, some by the water of the ocean, some from the shaking of the earth.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.19

इति सर्वं परित्रस्तं हाहाभूतमचेतनम् । जगदासीत् सुसम्भ्रान्तं पर्यस्तक्षितिमण्डलम्

iti sarvaṃ paritrastaṃ hāhābhūtamacetanam / jagadāsīt susambhrāntaṃ paryastakṣitimaṇḍalam

Thus everything was terror-stricken; the world became one cry of "alas! alas!", senseless, utterly bewildered, the circle of the earth overturned.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.20

हा वत्स ! हा कान्त ! शिशो ! प्रयाह्येषो ऽस्मि संस्थितः । हा प्रिये ! कान्त ! शैलो ऽयं पतत्याशु पलायताम्

hā vatsa ! hā kānta ! śiśo ! prayāhyeṣo 'smi saṃsthitaḥ / hā priye ! kānta ! śailo 'yaṃ patatyāśu palāyatām

"Alas, child! Alas, husband! Little one, go away — I am caught here! Alas, dear one! Husband! This mountain is falling — run quickly!"

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.21

इत्याकुलीकृते लोके संत्रासविमुखे तदा । सुरैः परिवृतः सर्वैराजगाम पितामहः

ityākulīkṛte loke saṃtrāsavimukhe tadā / suraiḥ parivṛtaḥ sarvairājagāma pitāmahaḥ

When the world had thus been thrown into confusion and was turned away (from everything) by terror, the Grandfather came, surrounded by all the gods.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.22

प्रत्युवाच च विश्वेशास्तावुभावतिकोपितौ । युद्धं वा विरमत्वेतल्लोकाः स्वास्थ्यं व्रजन्तु च

pratyuvāca ca viśveśāstāvubhāvatikopitau / yuddhaṃ vā viramatvetallokāḥ svāsthyaṃ vrajantu ca

And the Lord of All answered those two, who were exceedingly enraged: "Let this fighting cease, and let the worlds attain well-being."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.23

शृण्वन्तावपि तौ वाक्यं ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कोपामर्षसमाविष्टो युयुधाते न तस्थतुः

śṛṇvantāvapi tau vākyaṃ brahmaṇo 'vyaktajanmanaḥ / kopāmarṣasamāviṣṭo yuyudhāte na tasthatuḥ

But those two, though hearing the words of Brahmā, who is born of the unmanifest, being possessed by anger and indignation, went on fighting and did not stop.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.24

ततः पितामहो देवस्तं दृष्ट्वा लोकसंक्षयम् । तयोश्च हितमन्विच्छन् तिर्यग्भावमपानुदत्

tataḥ pitāmaho devastaṃ dṛṣṭvā lokasaṃkṣayam / tayośca hitamanvicchan tiryagbhāvamapānudat

Then the god, the Grandfather, seeing that destruction of the world, and desiring the welfare of those two, removed their animal condition.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.25

ततस्तौ पूर्वदेहस्थौ प्राह देवः प्रजापतिः । व्युदस्ते तामसे भावे वशिष्ठ०-कौशिकर्षभौ

tatastau pūrvadehasthau prāha devaḥ prajāpatiḥ / vyudaste tāmase bhāve vaśiṣṭha0-kauśikarṣabhau

Then, when the dark (tāmasa) disposition had been dispelled, the god Prajāpati spoke to those two, now established in their former bodies, the bulls among men, Vasiṣṭha and Kauśika:

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.26

जहि वत्स वशिष्ठ त्वं त्वञ्च कौशिक सत्तम । तामसं भावमाश्रित्य ईदृग्युद्धं चिकीर्षितम्

jahi vatsa vaśiṣṭha tvaṃ tvañca kauśika sattama / tāmasaṃ bhāvamāśritya īdṛgyuddhaṃ cikīrṣitam

"Abandon it, my son Vasiṣṭha, and you too, Kauśika, best of beings: resorting to the dark disposition, such a battle has been desired (by you)."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain

MkP 9.27

राजसूयविपाको ऽयं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः । युवयोर्विग्रहश्चायं पृथिवीक्षयकारकः

rājasūyavipāko 'yaṃ hariścandrasya bhūpateḥ / yuvayorvigrahaścāyaṃ pṛthivīkṣayakārakaḥ

"This is the ripening of King Hariścandra's Rājasūya sacrifice, and this quarrel of you two, which brings about the destruction of the earth."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.28

न चापि कौशिकश्रेष्ठस्तस्य राज्ञो ऽपरध्यते । स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरो ब्रह्मन्नपकारपदे स्थितः

na cāpi kauśikaśreṣṭhastasya rājño 'paradhyate / svargaprāptikaro brahmannapakārapade sthitaḥ

"Nor does the best of the Kauśikas offend against that king; O brahman, though placed in the position of one doing him harm, he is the one who brings him the attainment of heaven."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.29

तपो विघ्नस्य कर्तारौ कामक्रोधवशं गतौ । परित्यजत भद्रं वो ब्रह्म हि प्रचुरं बलम्

tapo vighnasya kartārau kāmakrodhavaśaṃ gatau / parityajata bhadraṃ vo brahma hi pracuraṃ balam

"You two, causers of obstruction to austerity, who have fallen under the sway of desire and anger — give it up, good fortune to you; for brahmanical power is abundant strength."

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.30

एवमुक्तौ ततस्तेन लज्जितौ तावुभावपि । क्षमयामासतुः प्रीत्या परिष्वज्य परस्परम्

evamuktau tatastena lajjitau tāvubhāvapi / kṣamayāmāsatuḥ prītyā pariṣvajya parasparam

Being thus addressed by him, those two, both ashamed, asked each other's pardon and affectionately embraced one another.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.31

ततः सुरैर्वन्द्यमानो ब्रह्मा लोकं निजं ययौ । वशिष्ठो ऽप्यात्मनः स्थानं कौशिको ऽपि स्वामाश्रयम्

tataḥ surairvandyamāno brahmā lokaṃ nijaṃ yayau / vaśiṣṭho 'pyātmanaḥ sthānaṃ kauśiko 'pi svāmāśrayam

Then Brahmā, praised by the gods, went to his own world; Vasiṣṭha too to his own place, and Kauśika to his own hermitage.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.32

एतदाडिबकं युद्धं हरिश्चन्द्रकथां तथा । कथयिष्यन्ति ये मर्त्याः सम्यक् श्रोष्यन्ति चैव ये

etadāḍibakaṃ yuddhaṃ hariścandrakathāṃ tathā / kathayiṣyanti ye martyāḥ samyak śroṣyanti caiva ye

Those mortals who will recount this battle of the ādi-bird and the crane, and likewise the story of Hariścandra, and those who will listen to it properly —

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition

MkP 9.33

तेषां पापापनोदन्तु श्रुतं ह्येव करिष्यति । न चैव विघ्नकार्याणि भविष्यन्ति कदाचन

teṣāṃ pāpāpanodantu śrutaṃ hyeva kariṣyati / na caiva vighnakāryāṇi bhaviṣyanti kadācana

the mere hearing of it will drive away their sins, and obstructive occurrences will never befall them.

AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition