॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ नवमोऽध्यायः - ९ ॥
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Discourse IX
The sage Mārkaṇḍeya witnesses the Lord's Māyā (Preamble)
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सूत उवाच ।
संस्तुतो भगवानित्थं मार्कण्डेयेन धीमता ।
नारायणो नरसखः प्रीत आह भृगूद्वहम् ॥ १॥
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Sūta began again: Duly extolled in the aforesaid words by the talented sage Mārkaṇḍeya, Lord Nārāyaṇa, accompanied by Nara, felt (highly) pleased and spoke to that jewel among the Bhṛgus (as follows). (1) (1)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
भो भो ब्रह्मर्षिवर्योऽसि सिद्ध आत्मसमाधिना ।
मयि भक्त्यानपायिन्या तपःस्वाध्यायसंयमैः ॥ २॥
वयं ते परितुष्टाः स्म त्वद्बृहद्व्रतचर्यया ।
वरं प्रतीच्छ भद्रं ते वरदेशादभीप्सितम् ॥ ३॥
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The glorious Lord replied : Hullo ! you have attained perfection, O jewel among the Brāhmaṇa seers ! through concentration of mind, through unceasing devotion to Me as well as through asceticism, study of the Vedas and self-control. (2)
We are highly pleased with you on account of your observing the vow of lifelong celibacy. May all be well with you ! (Therefore) receive your coveted boon from (Me,) the Ruler of all those who are capable of granting boons. (3) (2-3)
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ऋषिरुवाच ।
जितं ते देव देवेश प्रपन्नार्तिहराच्युत ।
वरेणैतावतालं नो यद्भवान् समदृश्यत ॥ ४॥
गृहीत्वाजादयो यस्य श्रीमत्पादाब्जदर्शनम् ।
मनसा योगपक्वेन स भवान् मेऽक्षिगोचरः ॥ ५॥
अथाप्यम्बुजपत्राक्ष पुण्यश्लोकशिखामणे ।
द्रक्ष्ये मायां यया लोकः सपालो वेद सद्भिदाम् ॥ ६॥
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The sage submitted : Your (own) exalted nature has been testified to by You, O Ruler (even) of Brahmā, Śiva and others (the adored of the gods), in that You have been directly perceived by us, O Dispeller of the agony of those that have taken refuge in You ! This much of favour (shown by You) is enough (for us), O immortal Lord ! (4)
Brahmā (the unborn creator) and others have felt perfectly gratified (even) on obtaining a vision of Your glorious lotus-like feet (only) in their mind purified through (the practice of) Yoga (concentration). The selfsame Lord in You has come within the range of my senses. (What greater boon than this could I have ?) (5)
Nevertheless, O Lord with eyes resembling the petals of a lotus ! I would have a vision of Your Māyā, under the influence of which the world including the guardians of the spheres perceives diversity (in the form of this manifold creation) in the (one) Reality (viz., Yourself), O crest-jewel of those enjoying sacred renown ! (6) (4-6)
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सूत उवाच ।
इतीडितोऽर्चितः काममृषिणा भगवान् मुने ।
तथेति स स्मयन् प्रागाद्बदर्याश्रममीश्वरः ॥ ७॥
तमेव चिन्तयन्नर्थमृषिः स्वाश्रम एव सः ।
वसन्नग्न्यर्कसोमाम्बुभूवायुवियदात्मसु ॥ ८॥
ध्यायन् सर्वत्र च हरिं भावद्रव्यैरपूजयत् ।
क्वचित्पूजां विसस्मार प्रेमप्रसरसम्प्लुतः ॥ ९॥
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Sūta continued : Extolled in these words and worshipped by the sage according to his wishes, O Śaunaka ! the said almighty Lord replied, "So shall it be !" and withdrew to Badarikāśrama smiling. (7)
Thinking (every moment) of the same object (the promised vision of the Lord's Māyā) and continuing in his own hermitage, Mārkaṇḍeya visualized Śrī Hari in the (sacred) fire, the sun, the moon, water, earth, the air, ether and his own self, nay, everywhere (else) and worshipped Him with articles conceived by the mind. At times (however), when overwhelmed with an outburst of emotion, he forgot worshipping the Lord. (8-9) (7-9)
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तस्यैकदा भृगुश्रेष्ठ पुष्पभद्रातटे मुनेः ।
उपासीनस्य सन्ध्यायां ब्रह्मन् वायुरभून्महान् ॥ १०॥
तं चण्डशब्दं समुदीरयन्तं
बलाहका अन्वभवन् करालाः ।
अक्षस्थविष्ठा मुमुचुस्तडिद्भिः
स्वनन्त उच्चैरभिवर्षधाराः ॥ ११॥
ततो व्यदृश्यन्त चतुःसमुद्राः
समन्ततः क्ष्मातलमाग्रसन्तः ।
समीरवेगोर्मिभिरुग्रनक्र-
महाभयावर्तगभीरघोषाः ॥ १२॥
अन्तर्बहिश्चाद्भिरतिद्युभिः खरैः
शतह्रदाभीरुपतापितं जगत् ।
चतुर्विधं वीक्ष्य सहात्मना मुनि-
र्जलाप्लुतां क्ष्मां विमनाः समत्रसत् ॥ १३॥
तस्यैवमुद्वीक्षत ऊर्मिभीषणः
प्रभञ्जनाघूर्णितवार्महार्णवः ।
आपूर्यमाणो वरषद्भिरम्बुदैः
क्ष्मामप्यधाद्द्वीपवर्षाद्रिभिः समम् ॥ १४॥
सक्ष्मान्तरिक्षं सदिवं सभागणं
त्रैलोक्यमासीत्सह दिग्भिराप्लुतम् ।
स एक एवोर्वरितो महामुनि-
र्बभ्राम विक्षिप्य जटा जडान्धवत् ॥ १५॥
क्षुत्तृट्परीतो मकरैस्तिमिङ्गिलै-
रुपद्रुतो वीचिनभस्वता हतः ।
तमस्यपारे पतितो भ्रमन् दिशो
न वेद खं गां च परिश्रमेषितः ॥ १६॥
क्वचिद्गतो महावर्ते तरलैस्ताडितः क्वचित् ।
यादोभिर्भक्ष्यते क्वापि स्वयमन्योन्यघातिभिः ॥ १७॥
क्वचिच्छोकं क्वचिन्मोहं क्वचिद्दुःखं सुखं भयम् ।
क्वचिन्मृत्युमवाप्नोति व्याध्यादिभिरुतार्दितः ॥ १८॥
अयुतायुतवर्षाणां सहस्राणि शतानि च ।
व्यतीयुर्भ्रमतस्तस्मिन् विष्णुमायावृतात्मनः ॥ १९॥
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One day, at eventide, O jewel among the Bhrgus ! while the sage was worshipping the Lord on the bank of the river Puṣpabhadrā, O Brāhmaṇa sage ! a furious wind sprang up.(10)
Following close upon the blast, that made a terrible noise, appeared frightful clouds attended with flashes of lightning, and poured all round volleys of rain as thick as the axle of a chariot, loudly rumbling. (11)
Then there were seen the oceans in the four quarters with most terrible whirlpools, fearful crocodiles and a loud roar, engulfing the earth on all sides with their waves tossed by the fury of the storm. (12)
The sage felt perturbed at heart and was dismayed to behold the fourfold creation (as consisting of mammals, oviparous creatures, the sweat-born and those sprouting from the soil) alongwith himself tormented inside as well as outside by waves that rose to the skies as well as by severe blasts and strokes of lightning, and the earth deluged with water. (13)
While he was thus looking on, the boundless ocean—that looked terrible with its waves and with its waters tossed about by a violent wind, and was being flooded by the raining clouds—submerged the earth alongwith its Dwipas (broad divisions) and Varsas (subdivisions) and mountains. (14)
The whole universe, comprising the earth and the aerial region and including heaven and the hosts of luminaries, was deluged alongwith the (four) quarters (and the entire living creation). The great sage Mārkaṇḍeya, who was the only living being left alive, drifted along like a stupid and blind creature tossing about his matted looks. (15)
Oppressed with hunger and thirst, assailed by alligators and whales, beaten by storm and waves, enveloped in endless darkness and overcome with exhaustion, the sage, while drifting along, could not make out the directions, nor the sky and earth. (16)
Now fallen into a great whirlpool, and now buffeted by waves, he was sometimes bitten by the aquatic creatures, themselves killing one another (in their attempt to seize him).(17)
Now he fell a prey to grief and now to infatuation; now he experienced sorrow and at other times joy; now he fell a victim to fear and now he suffered death; while at other times he was afflicted with diseases and so on. (18)
Millions upon millions of years rolled away in the eyes of the sage, (even) as he remained drifting along in that deluge, his judgment having been clouded by the enchanting potency of Lord Viṣṇu.(19) (10-19)
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स कदाचिद्भ्रमंस्तस्मिन् पृथिव्याः ककुदि द्विजः ।
न्यग्रोधपोतं ददृशे फलपल्लवशोभितम् ॥ २०॥
प्रागुत्तरस्यां शाखायां तस्यापि ददृशे शिशुम् ।
शयानं पर्णपुटके ग्रसन्तं प्रभया तमः ॥ २१॥
महामरकतश्यामं श्रीमद्वदनपङ्कजम् ।
कम्बुग्रीवं महोरस्कं सुनासं सुन्दरभ्रुवम् ॥ २२॥
श्वासैजदलकाभातं कम्बुश्रीकर्णदाडिमम् ।
विद्रुमाधरभासेषच्छोणायितसुधास्मितम् ॥ २३॥
पद्मगर्भारुणापाङ्गं हृद्यहासावलोकनम् ।
श्वासैजद्वलिसंविग्ननिम्ननाभिदलोदरम् ॥ २४॥
चार्वङ्गुलिभ्यां पाणिभ्यामुन्नीय चरणाम्बुजम् ।
मुखे निधाय विप्रेन्द्रो धयन्तं वीक्ष्य विस्मितः ॥ २५॥
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Rolling about in that deluge, the said Brāhmaṇa once beheld on an elevation of earth a young (and tender) banyan tree adorned with leaves and fruits. (20)
On a branch of the tree located in the north-east he saw a babe as well lying in a hollow leaf and swallowing up the darkness by its splendour. Mārkaṇḍeya (the foremost of the Brāhmaṇas) was amazed to behold the babe, which possessed the dark-green hue of a precious emerald, had a beautiful lotus-like countenance, a conch-shaped neck, a broad chest, a shapely nose and charming eyebrows, and was graced with locks waving under the impact of its breaths. Its ears, shaped like the opening of a conch, were decked with the blossoms of pomegranate; its milk-like bright smiles were rendered rosy by the (crimson) lustre of its coral-hued lips. The ends of its eyes were reddish like the interior of a lotus; its glances were enlivened with a smile that captivated one's heart; its deep navel throbbed alongwith the folds of its belly—shaped like a leaf of the sacred fig-tree—that heaved with its breaths. The babe had placed its lotus-like foot into its mouth, lifting it up with its hands, that had charming fingers, and was sucking it. (21—25) (20-25)
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तद्दर्शनाद्वीतपरिश्रमो मुदा
प्रोत्फुल्लहृत्पद्मविलोचनाम्बुजः ।
प्रहृष्टरोमाद्भुतभावशङ्कितः
प्रष्टुं पुरस्तं प्रससार बालकम् ॥ २६॥
तावच्छिशोर्वै श्वसितेन भार्गवः
सोऽन्तःशरीरं मशको यथाऽऽविशत् ।
तत्राप्यदो न्यस्तमचष्ट कृत्स्नशो
यथा पुरामुह्यदतीव विस्मितः ॥ २७॥
खं रोदसी भगणानद्रिसागरान्
द्वीपान् सवर्षान् ककुभः सुरासुरान् ।
वनानि देशान् सरितः पुराकरान्
खेटान् व्रजानाश्रमवर्णवृत्तयः ॥ २८॥
महान्ति भूतान्यथ भौतिकान्यसौ
कालं च नानायुगकल्पकल्पनम् ।
यत्किञ्चिदन्यद्व्यवहारकारणं
ददर्श विश्वं सदिवावभासितम् ॥ २९॥
हिमालयं पुष्पवहां च तां नदीं
निजाश्रमं यत्र ऋषीनपश्यत् ।
विश्वं विपश्यञ्छ्वसिताच्छिशोर्वै
बहिर्निरस्तो न्यपतल्लयाब्धौ ॥ ३०॥
तस्मिन् पृथिव्याः ककुदि प्ररूढं
वटं च तत्पर्णपुटे शयानम् ।
तोकं च तत्प्रेमसुधास्मितेन
निरीक्षितोऽपाङ्गनिरीक्षणेन ॥ ३१॥
अथ तं बालकं वीक्ष्य नेत्राभ्यां धिष्ठितं हृदि ।
अभ्ययादतिसङ्क्लिष्टः परिष्वक्तुमधोक्षजम् ॥ ३२॥
तावत्स भगवान् साक्षाद्योगाधीशो गुहाशयः ।
अन्तर्दधे ऋषेः सद्यो यथेहानीशनिर्मिता ॥ ३३॥
तमन्वथ वटो ब्रह्मन् सलिलं लोकसम्प्लवः ।
तिरोधायि क्षणादस्य स्वाश्रमे पूर्ववत्स्थितः ॥ ३४॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
द्वादशस्कन्धे मायादर्शनं नाम नवमोऽध्यायः ॥ ९॥
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At the (very) sight of the babe the fatigue of the sage altogether disappeared, the lotuses of his heart and eyes opened for (very) joy, the hair of his body stood on end and the sage headed towards the babe in order to make inquiries of it, though filled with awe at the sight of its wonderful form. (26)
Meanwhile, (even) like a mosquito, Mārkaṇḍeya (a scion of Bhṛgu) entered into the body of the babe alongwith its breath. There (inside the belly of the babe) too he saw the universe in its entirety (systematically) arranged as before (the deluge) and felt astonished and perplexed. (27)
He saw (there) the aerial region, heaven and earth, the hosts of luminaries, the mountains and seas, the broad divisions of the earth including their subdivisions, the quarters, the gods and the demons, forests, countries and rivers, towns and mines, residences of peasants and farmers, stations of herdsmen, the (four) Varṇas (grades of society) and Āśramas (stages in life) as well as their functions; the five gross elements as well as their products, Time with the various (divisions such as) Yugas and Kalpas conceived in it, nay, whatever else makes worldly life possible, in short, the whole universe, presented as though real. (28-29)
He (further) saw the Himālaya mountain, the same river Puṣpabhadrā, his own hermitage (on its bank) and the sages dwelling there. (Even) while he was perceiving (thus) the (whole) universe, he was thrown out of the belly of the babe through its breath and fell back, as is well-known, into the sea of deluge. (30)
Perceiving there (once more) the banyan tree growing on an elevation of earth and the babe too lying in a hollow leaf, and gazed at (by the babe) with a sidelong glance accompanied by a smile full of the nectar of love, the sage, who was much too afflicted, proceeded to embrace the babe—who was no other than Lord Viṣṇu, and had (already) entered his heart through (the door of) his eyes and taken His seat there. (31-32)
That very moment the babe—who was the almighty Lord Himself, the Master of Yoga, Who dwells in the hearts of all—suddenly disappeared, and the effort of the sage (to hug the babe) met the same fate as the undertaking of an unlucky person. (33)
Following the Lord, O Brāhmaṇa sage! the banyan tree, the (deluge) water and the dissolution of the universe (also) disappeared in an instant from the sight of the sage, who stood in his hermitage as before. (34)
Thus ends the ninth discourse entitled "Mārkaṇḍeya witnesses (the Lord's) Māyā," in Book Twelve of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahāṃsa-Sarhhitā. (26-34)
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