The Markandeya Purana

by Bibek Debroy

  Chapter 17

  ‘The son said, “Kartavirya, lord of men, heard these words. He went to Dattatreya’s hermitage and worshipped him faithfully. He washed and massaged his feet. He brought him arghya, flowers, garlands, sandalwood, fragrances, water, fruit and other objects. He brought him food and cleaned the leftover food. Satisfied, the sage told the king exactly what he had told the gods earlier, about him being polluted because he indulged in liquor and other forms of pleasure. ‘This woman is always next to me and I am condemned because I enjoy myself with her. I am always engaged in this way and I am incapable of doing you a favour. You should not request me. Go and request a person who is capable.’ Addressed by the sage in this way, Kartavirya Arjuna remembered Garga’s words. He prostrated himself and replied, ‘You are the ancient divinity. You have resorted to your own maya. You are blemishless and so is she, the goddess who is the kindling of the whole world.’ 296 Thus addressed, the divinity was pleased and replied to the immensely valiant Kartavirya, who had subjugated the entire earth. ‘Since you know about my secret nature, ask for a boon. O king! Today, you have greatly satisfied me. Along with me, men who respectfully worship Lakshmi with fragrances, garlands, meat, liquor and sweetmeats, accompanied by the chanting of brahmanas and the playing of melodious musical instruments like the veena, the flute and the conch shell, are supremely nurtured by me, with sons, wives, wealth and the like. However, I destroy those who disrespectfully call me an avadhuta. O fortunate one! Therefore, ask for the boon that you desire. Since your excellent mouth has chanted my secret name, I am pleased with you.’ Kartavirya said, ‘O divinity! If you are pleased with me, grant me supreme prosperity, so that I can protect my subjects and not fall prey to adharma. May I have the knowledge to understand others and may I be unmatched in battle. I desire one thousand arms, with the quality of being dexterous. Without any obstruction, let me be able to go everywhere—mountains, the sky, the water, the earth and all the nether regions. Let my death come from the hands of a man who is superior to me. Let me be able to demonstrate the right path to those who deviate from the right path. Let my hospitality towards guests be praiseworthy. Let my riches be inexhaustible. In my kingdom, as soon as they think of me, let no one’s property be destroyed. O divinity! Let my devotion towards you be constant, without deviating.’ Dattatreya replied, ‘O child! Everything will be as you have described it. Through my favours and powers, you will be a lord and chakravarti.’ 297 Arjuna bowed down before Dattatreya.

  ‘“Every natural object was brought for his consecration. Large numbers of gandharvas and apsaras arrived. Vasishtha and the other rishis came, so did Meru and the other mountains. Ganga and the other rivers came, so did the oceans, the stores of riches. Plaksha 298 and other trees arrived, as did Vasava and the other gods. The nagas, with Vasuki at the forefront, arrived for the consecration ceremony. Tarkshya 299 and other birds came. Residents arrived from cities and the countryside. Because of Dattatreya’s favours, all of them came with a great deal of objects. Brahma and the other gods kindled the fire. In the form of Dattatreya, Narayana consecrated him. The rishis sprinkled him with water from the rivers and the oceans. Haihaya would be established in the kingdom. Thanks to Dattatreya, he obtained great prosperity and supreme strength. He announced, ‘From today, if anyone other than me picks up weapons, I shall kill him, irrespective of whether he is a bandit who causes harm.’ After this announcement, there was no man in the kingdom who wielded weapons, with the exception of that tiger among men, endowed with exceptional valour. He was the one who protected villages. He was the one who protected animals. He was the one who protected fields. He was the protector and there was no need for a second. He protected ascetics and convoys of merchants. As soon as terrified men who suffered from bandits, predatory beasts, fire, weapons, submergence in the waters and other kinds of immersion in hardships thought of him, the scorcher of enemies instantly arrived as a saviour. As long as that king ruled, no objects were destroyed. He performed many sacrifices where copious amounts of dakshina were given. He tormented himself through austerities and engaged in many great battles. On witnessing his great prosperity, the sage Angiras said, ‘Indeed, no other king will be able to achieve the objective Kartavirya has accomplished. No one will be able to surpass him in sacrifices, donation, austerities and battles.’ On the day on which the lord of men obtained the favours from Dattatreya, on that day, he started a sacrifice in Dattatreya’s honour. Witnessing the king’s great prosperity, on that day, all the subjects also respectfully participated in the sacrifice. Such was the intelligent Dattatreya’s greatness. He is the great-souled Vishnu. He is the preceptor of everything, mobile and immobile. He is Ananta. He is the wielder of the Sharnga bow and his arrival has been described in the Puranas. He is infinite and immeasurable. He is the wielder of the conch shell, chakra and mace. If a man meditates on his supreme form in his heart, he becomes happy and quickly crosses over the ocean of samsara. ‘O Vaishnavas! With devotion, I can always be obtained very easily. If I am worshipped with leaves, flowers and fruits, I grant emancipation.’ These are his words. Why should people not seek refuge with him? He destroys adharma and is the reservoir of dharma. He is without beginning and without end. He is the divinity who preserves creation. I will now describe Alarka’s birth to you. The great-souled royal sage, Alarka, was devoted to his father and Dattatreya described yoga to him.”’

  Chapter 18

  ‘The son said, “There was an extremely valiant king named Shatrujit. Purandara drank soma at his sacrifice and was satisfied. He had a son who was extremely brave, making the enemies flee. He became famous by the name of Ritadhvaja and he possessed all the auspicious signs. In intelligence, valour and beauty, he was respectively the equal of the preceptor, Shakra and the Ashvins. 300 The king’s son was always surrounded by other princes who were his equal in age, intelligence, spirit and valour. Sometimes, they made up their minds to study the sacred texts, so that their sense of discrimination might develop. Sometimes, they engaged in poetry, conversation, singing and dramaturgy. Sometimes, they amused themselves with dice. Sometimes, they practised the precepts of the sacred texts, weaponry and good conduct. Sometimes, they wrestled with worthy opponents. Sometimes, they rode elephants, horses or chariots. Surrounded by those princes, the king’s son amused himself. In this way, they amused themselves, night and day. The sons of brahmanas, kshatriyas and vaishyas also sported with them. Similar in age, many of them happily joined them.

  ‘“The world of the nagas is below the earth. There were two young nagas who were the sons of Ashvatara. They were young and handsome. After some time, they arrived there, disguising themselves in the form of brahmanas. Filled with joy, they amused themselves in diverse ways, along with the sons of kings and the other sons of brahmanas. All the princes, the sons of brahmanas, the sons of vaishyas and the two sons of the king of the nagas bathed and had their ablutions together, massaging their bodies, wearing garments, smearing fragrances, eating and doing other things. Since they were delighted and happy with the prince, those two naga princes arrived there every day. The prince found great joy in them. With them, he engaged in diverse kinds of amusement, jesting and conversation. He did not eat without them. He did not bathe without them. Without them, he did not drink liquor. Nor did he find any pleasure in the sacred texts, required for uplifting himself. Separated from the great-souled one, those two spent the nights in Rasatala, sighing deeply about him. ‘O sons! 301 O naga princes! From one day to another day, I see that you have developed a great deal of affection for the world of the mortals. Whom do you converse with there? Many days have passed and I only see you in Patala during the night. O handsome ones! I only see you at night, not during the day.’ When they were thus asked by their father, they joined their hands in salutation and bowed down. The two sons replied to the immensely fortunate lord of the nagas. ‘O father! Shatrujit has a son and he is known by the name of Ritadhvaja. He is handsome and upright. He is brave, honourable and pleasant in s
peech. He is eloquent in speech, but does not speak what he should not. He is learned and friendly. He is a store of qualities. He honours those who should be honoured. He is intelligent and modest. Humility is his ornament. Our minds have been attracted to his conduct, affection and pleasure. O father! We no longer feel any attachment to the world of the nagas or to any other world. O father! Since we are separated from him, the cool nights in Patala scorch us. Like the sun, association with him delights us during the day.’ The father replied, ‘Since you have praised him, the son of such an auspicious father is blessed. Those who possess qualities are reciting his qualities when he is himself not present. There are those who have good conduct and who are accomplished in the sacred texts, but there are also those with good conduct who are fools. I think a person who possesses knowledge of the sacred texts and good conduct is blessed, a person whom friends praise for the quality of being a friend and enemies praise for valour. In such cases, a father always says that he truly has a son. O sons! Since he has done you a good deed, to satisfy his mind, have you thought of what he might want from you? Have you done something for him? From one birth to another birth, a person who does not disappoint someone who wants something, and a friend who is not weak, truly live. Gold, jewels, mounts and seats exist in my house. Without any hesitation, give him whatever will delight him. The life of a man who harms his friends is one to be ashamed of. A person who returns a good deed truly understands the meaning of being alive. A man who showers down good deeds on his friends and bad deeds on his enemies is wise and his constant elevation occurs.’ The sons said, ‘He has done us a good deed. What can we do for him in return? His home is constantly worshipped with all the objects and all the articles of pleasure. The jewels, mounts, seats, vehicles, ornaments and garments that exist in his house do not exist in Patala. The wisdom that is in him is not available elsewhere. O father! Among wise people who dispel doubts, he is the foremost. There is only one task to be accomplished. However, in our view, we are incapable of accomplishing it, unless we get boons from Hiranyagarbha, Govinda, Sharva 302 and others.’ The father replied, ‘Nevertheless, I wish to hear about the supreme task that might be accomplished for him. The impossible can become possible. What is impossible for a person who is learned? There are revered men who have obtained the status of being gods, immortals and lords. 303 A person who has firmly made up his mind embarks on the journey. Without determining and without proceeding, nothing is obtained, whether it is in heaven or in this world. Men must make themselves enterprising in their minds and in their senses. If it moves, an ant can traverse one thousand yojanas. If he doesn’t move, Vainateya 304 does not move a single step. Where is the earth and where is that permanent place in the firmament? Yet Dhruva, King Uttanapada’s son, who always dwelt on earth, obtained it for himself. 305 O immensely fortunate sons! Therefore, tell me about that other task, by accomplishing which you will be freed of your debt to that virtuous prince.’