03.194
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markandeya said;
sa evam-ukto rājarṣir-uttaṅkenāparājitaḥ। uttaṅkaṃ kaurava-śreṣṭha kṛtāñjalir-athābravīt ॥03-194-1॥
O best of the Kauravas, the unconquered royal sage, having thus been addressed by Uttaṅka, then with joined palms, spoke to Uttaṅka. (03-194-1)
na te'bhigamanaṃ brahman mogham etad bhaviṣyati. putro mama ayaṃ bhagavan kuvalāśva iti smṛtaḥ ॥03-194-2॥
O Brahman, your coming here will not be in vain. This son of mine, O revered one, is known as Kuvalāśva. (03-194-2)
dhṛtimān kṣipra-kārī ca vīryeṇa apratimo bhuvi। priyaṃ vai sarvam etat te kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ॥03-194-3॥
He, possessed of fortitude, swift to act, and unrivaled in prowess on earth, will certainly do everything dear to you—there is no doubt. (03-194-3)
putraiḥ parivṛtaḥ sarvaiḥ śūraiḥ parighabāhubhiḥ। visarjayasva māṃ brahman nyastaśastro'smi sāmpratam ॥03-194-4॥
O Brahman, surrounded on all sides by sons, by all these heroic men with arms like iron rods, release me now—for at present I am one who has laid down his weapon. (03-194-4)
tathāstveti ca tenokto munināmitatejasā। sa tamādiśya tanayamuttaṅkāya mahātmane ॥ kriyatāmiti rājarṣirjagāma vanamuttamam ॥03-194-5॥
When the sage of immeasurable splendor spoke, 'So be it,' he, after instructing his son to attend to the great-souled Uttaṅka and saying 'let it be done,' the royal sage departed to the excellent forest. (03-194-5)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ka eṣa bhagavandaitiyo mahāvīryastapodhana। kasya putro'tha naptā vā etadicchāmi veditum ॥03-194-6॥
O revered one, who is this Daitya of great power and rich in austerity? Whose son or grandson is he? I wish to know this. (03-194-6)
evaṃ mahābalo daityo na śruto me tapodhana। etadicchāmi bhagavanyāthātathyena veditum ॥ sarvameva mahāprājña vistareṇa tapodhana ॥03-194-7॥
O possessor of austerities, I have not heard of such a mighty Daitya. I wish, O venerable one, to know this truly from you. Please tell me everything in detail, O greatly wise one, O possessor of austerities. (03-194-7)
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markandeya said;
śṛṇu rājan-idaṃ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttaṃ narādhipa। ekārṇave tadā ghore naṣṭe sthāvara-jaṅgame॥ pranaṣṭeṣu ca bhūteṣu sarveṣu bharatarṣabha॥03-194-8॥
Listen, O king, to all this as it happened, O lord of men. When everything–immobile and mobile beings–was destroyed in the dreadful single ocean, and all creatures were lost, O best of the Bharatas. (03-194-8)
prabhavaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ śāśvataḥ puruṣo'vyayaḥ। suṣvāpa bhagavān viṣṇur apśayyām eka eva ha ॥ nāgasya bhoge mahati śeṣasyāmitatejasaḥ ॥03-194-9॥
He who is the origin of all beings, the eternal and imperishable person, the revered Viṣṇu, slept alone on the water-bed, truly, on the great coil of the serpent Śeṣa of boundless radiance. (03-194-9)
lokakartā mahābhāga bhagavān cyuto hariḥ। nāgabhogena mahatā parirabhya mahīm imām ॥03-194-10॥
Hari, the creator of the worlds and greatly fortunate illustrious one, having fallen, embraced this earth with the great coil of the serpent. (03-194-10)
svapatas tasya devasya padmaṁ sūryasamaprabham। nābhyāṁ viniḥsṛtaṁ tatra yatrotpannaḥ pitāmahaḥ ॥ sākṣāl lokagurur brahmā padme sūryendusaprabhe ॥03-194-11॥
From that god's own body, a lotus as radiant as the sun issued forth from his navel. There, the grandsire (Brahmā), the direct guru of the world, was born on that lotus shining with the brilliance of the sun and the moon. (03-194-11)
caturvedāś caturmūrtis tathaiva ca caturmukhaḥ। svaprabhāvād durādharṣo mahābalaparākramaḥ॥03-194-12॥
He is the knower of the four Vedas, has four forms, likewise is four-faced; by his own power he is invincible, and is possessed of great strength and valor. (03-194-12)
kasyacit tv atha kālasya dānavau vīryavattarau। madhuś ca kaiṭabhaś caiva dṛṣṭavantau hariṁ prabhum ॥03-194-13॥
At a certain time, then, the two most powerful Dānavas, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, saw Hari, the Lord. (03-194-13)
śayānaṃ śayane divye nāgabhoge mahādyutim। bahuyojanavistīrṇe bahuyojanamāyate॥03-194-14॥
He was lying on a divine bed, formed of serpent-coils, possessing great radiance, vast in width and length, each measuring many yojanas. (03-194-14)
kirīṭakaustubhadharaṃ pītakauśeyavāsasam। dīpyamānaṃ śriyā rājaṃstejasā vapuṣā tathā॥ sahasrasūryapratimamadbhutopamadarśanam॥03-194-15॥
He, adorned with a crown and the Kaustubha gem, dressed in yellow silk, shining with splendor, O king, with radiance and form thus, appeared wondrous, resembling the brilliance of a thousand suns (03-194-15).
vismayaḥ sumahān āsīn madhukaiṭabhayoḥ tadā। dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṃ caiva padme padmanibhekṣaṇam ॥03-194-16॥
Then, very great astonishment arose in Madhu and Kaiṭabha when they saw the Grandfather (Brahmā) seated in the lotus with his lotus-like eyes. (03-194-16)
vitrāsayetām atha tau brahmāṇam amitaujasaṃ। vitrāsyamāno bahuśo brahmā tābhyāṃ mahāyaśāḥ॥ akampayat padmanālaṃ tato budhyata keśavaḥ॥03-194-17॥
Then those two instilled fear in Brahmā of boundless splendour; Brahmā, greatly renowned, being repeatedly frightened by them, shook the lotus stalk; then Keśava awoke. (03-194-17)
athāpaśyata govindo dānavau vīryavattarau। dṛṣṭvā tāvabravīddevaḥ svāgataṃ vāṃ mahābalau ॥ dadāni vāṃ varaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ prītirhi mama jāyate ॥03-194-18॥
Then Govinda beheld the two exceedingly powerful Dānavas. Seeing them, the god said: "Welcome, mighty ones! I shall grant you both a supreme boon, for indeed affection arises within me." (03-194-18)
tau prahasya hṛṣīkeśaṃ mahāvīryau mahāsurau। pratyabrūtāṃ mahārāja sahitau madhusūdanam॥03-194-19॥
Those two mighty Asuras, after laughing, together replied to Hṛṣīkeśa, O great king, to Madhusūdana. (03-194-19)
āvāṃ varaya deva tvaṃ varadau svaḥ surottama। dātārau svo varaṃ tubhyaṃ tadbravīhyavicārayan ॥03-194-20॥
O god, you, the best of gods, choose a boon from us two, the bestowers of boons; as our gift to you, speak out what boon you desire, without hesitation. (03-194-20)
bhagavān uvāca॥
The Blessed Lord said.
pratigṛhṇe varaṃ vīrāvīpsitaś ca varo mama। yuvāṃ hi vīryasampannau na vāmas ti samaḥ pumān ॥03-194-21॥
I accept the boon, O heroes, and even the boon that is not desired is mine. For you two are truly full of heroic strength; there is no man equal to you two. (03-194-21)
vadhyatvam-upagacchetāṁ mama satyaparākramau। etad-icchāmyahaṁ kāmaṁ prāptuṁ lokahitāya vai ॥03-194-22॥
May my truly valiant sons become liable to be slain; this is what I desire, indeed, in order to secure the welfare of the world. (03-194-22)
madhu-kaiṭabha-āvūcatuḥ॥
Madhu and Kaiṭabha both said.
anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ nau svaireṣvapi kuto'nyathā। satye dharme ca niratau viddhyāvāṃ puruṣottama ॥03-194-23॥
O best of men, know that both of us have never spoken untruth before—not even in moments of freedom; we are devoted to truth and righteousness. (03-194-23)
bale rūpe ca vīrye ca śame ca na samo'sti nau। dharme tapasi dāne ca śīla-sattva-dameṣu ca ॥03-194-24॥
In strength, beauty, heroism, and tranquility, none are equal to us; nor in righteousness, austerity, charity, conduct, strength, or self-control. (03-194-24)
upaplavo mahānasmānupāvartata keśava। uktaṃ pratikuruṣva tvaṃ kālo hi duratikramaḥ॥03-194-25॥
A great calamity has come upon us, Keśava. Fulfill what was said; for time is indeed impossible to overcome. (03-194-25)
āvām icchāvahe deva kṛtam ekaṃ tvayā vibho। anāvṛte ’smin ākāśe vadhaṃ suravarottama॥03-194-26॥
O god, we two wish to carry out a deed—by you, O mighty one—namely, to slay (someone) in this open sky, O best among the chief gods. (03-194-26)
putratvam abhigacchāva tava caiva sulocana। vara eṣa vṛto deva tad viddhi surasattama ॥03-194-27॥
O beautiful-eyed one, let us indeed become your sons. This boon is chosen, O god; know that, O best of the gods. (03-194-27)
bhagavānuvāca॥
The Blessed One said.
bāḍham evaṁ kariṣyāmi sarvam etad bhaviṣyati. mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
"Certainly, I will do thus; all this will come to pass." Mārkaṇḍeya said.
vicintya tv atha govindo nāpaśyad yad anāvṛtam. avakāśaṃ pṛthivyāṃ vā divi vā madhusūdanaḥ ॥03-194-29॥
After reflecting, Govinda (Madhusūdana) did not see any open space, either on earth or in the heavens. (03-194-29)
svakāvanāvṛtāvūrū dṛṣṭvā devavarastadā। madhukaiṭabhayo rājañśirasī madhusūdanaḥ ॥ cakreṇa śitadhāreṇa nyakr̥ntata mahāyaśāḥ ॥03-194-30॥
O king, then the greatly renowned Madhusūdana, seeing the thighs of Madhu and Kaiṭabha covered by their own skin, cut off their heads with his sharp-edged discus. (03-194-30)
