03.205
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Markandeya said.
gurū nivedya viprāya tau mātāpitarau ubhau। punar eva sa dharmātmā vyādhaḥ brāhmaṇam abravīt॥03-205-1॥
Having reported about both his mother and father to the brāhmaṇa as per his teacher's instruction, the virtuous hunter again spoke to the brāhmaṇa. (03-205-1)
pravṛttacakṣur jāto'smi sampaśya tapaso balam। yadartham ukto'si tayā gacchasva mithilām iti ॥03-205-2॥
My sight having been restored, I am born anew; behold the strength of my austerity. For the purpose you have been instructed by her, go now to Mithila. (03-205-2)
patiśuśrūṣaparayā dāntayā satyaśīlayā। mithilāyāṃ vasan vyādhaḥ sa te dharmān pravakṣyati ॥03-205-3॥
The hunter who dwells in Mithilā, with a wife devoted to serving her husband, self-controlled, and truthful in character, will explain the principles of dharma to you. (03-205-3)
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The Brāhmaṇa said.
pativratāyāḥ satyāyāḥ śīlāḍhyāyā yatavrata. saṁsmṛtya vākyaṁ dharmajña guṇavān asi me mataḥ ॥03-205-4॥
Having remembered the words of the devoted, truthful, and virtuous wife, an observer of vows, I consider you, knower of dharma and endowed with virtues, as such. (03-205-4)
vyādha uvāca॥
The hunter said.
yattadā tvaṁ dvijaśreṣṭha tayokto māṁ prati prabho। dṛṣṭametattayā samyagekapatnyā na saṁśayaḥ॥03-205-5॥
O best of twice-born, what you were told then by her about me, O master, this was truly seen by her, the devoted wife—there is no doubt. (03-205-5)
tvadanugrahabuddhyā tu vipraitad darśitaṃ mayā। vākyaṃ ca śṛṇu me tāta yat te vakṣye hitaṃ dvija ॥03-205-6॥
But, Brāhmaṇa, with the intention of your welfare, I have shown you this. And now listen, O dear one, to the words I will say to you for your benefit, O twice-born. (3-205-6)
tvayā vinikṛtā mātā pitā ca dvijasattama। anisṛṣṭo'si niṣkrānto gṛhāttābhyāmanindita ॥ vedoccāraṇakāryārthamayuktaṁ tattvayā kṛtam ॥03-205-7॥
O best of twice-born, you have neglected your mother and father. Without their permission, you have left the house, blameless one. What you have done for the purpose of Veda recitation is improper. (03-205-7)
tava śokena vṛddhau tāvandhau jātau tapasvinau। tau prasādayituṃ gaccha mā tvā dharmo’tyagān mahān॥03-205-8॥
Because of your grief, those two elders have become blind and ascetic; go to propitiate them, do not let great righteousness pass you by. (3-205-8)
tapasvī tvaṃ mahātmā ca dharme ca nirataḥ sadā। sarvam etad apārthaṃ te kṣipraṃ tau samprasāday ॥03-205-9॥
You are an ascetic, a great soul, and always devoted to dharma; all this is useless for you — quickly reconcile those two. (03-205-9)
śraddadhā sva mama brahman nānyathā kartum arhasi। gamyatām adya viprarṣe śreyas te kathayāmi aham ॥03-205-10॥
Trust in me, O brāhmaṇa; do not act otherwise. Go today, O best of brāhmaṇas; I will tell you what is best. (03-205-10)
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The Brāhmaṇa said;
yadetad uktaṃ bhavatā sarvaṃ satyam asaṃśayam। prīto'smi tava dharmajña sādhvācāra guṇānvita ॥03-205-11॥
All that you have said is true, without doubt. I am pleased with you, knower of dharma, endowed with good conduct and virtues. (03-205-11)
vyādha uvāca॥
The hunter said.
daivatapratimo hi tvaṁ yastvaṁ dharmamanuvrataḥ. purāṇaṁ śāśvataṁ divyaṁ duṣprāpam akṛtātmabhiḥ ॥03-205-12॥
Indeed, you are like a deity, for you are devoted to dharma; the ancient, eternal, divine (goal), difficult to attain by those whose selves are undisciplined. (03-205-12)
atandritaḥ kuru kṣipraṃ mātāpitroḥ hi pūjanam। ataḥ param ahaṃ dharmam nā anyam paśyāmi kañcana ॥03-205-13॥
Without negligence, quickly perform reverence to your mother and father; I see no duty greater than this. (03-205-13)
brāhmaṇa uvāca॥
The Brāhmaṇa said.
ihāham-āgato diṣṭyā diṣṭyā me saṅgataṃ tvayā। īdṛśā durlabhā loke narā dharmapradarśakāḥ॥03-205-14॥
It is by good fortune that I have come here and by good fortune that I have met you. Men who show the path of dharma like you are rare in this world. (03-205-14)
eko narasahasreṣu dharmavid vidyate na vā। prīto'smi tava satyena bhadraṃ te puruṣottama ॥03-205-15॥
Among a thousand men, scarcely one is a true knower of dharma. I am pleased with your truthfulness; may good come to you, O best of men. (03-205-15)
patamāno hi narake bhavatāsmi samuddhṛtaḥ। bhavitavyam athaivaṁ ca yad dṛṣṭo'si mayānagha॥03-205-16॥
While I was falling into hell, I have indeed been lifted up by you. It must indeed have been destined thus, that I have seen you, O sinless one. (03-205-16)
rājā yayātir dauhitraiḥ patitas tārito yathā। sadbhiḥ puruṣaśārdūla tathāhaṃ bhavatā tv iha ॥03-205-17॥
Just as King Yayāti, having fallen, was lifted up by his grandsons, so I, O best of men, have been lifted up here by you. (03-205-17)
mātāpitṛbhyāṃ śuśrūṣāṃ kariṣye vacanāt tava। nākṛtātmā vedayati dharmādharmaviniścayam ॥03-205-18॥
At your command, I will serve my mother and father. A person whose self is undisciplined does not discern the distinction between right and wrong. (03-205-18)
durjñeyaḥ śāśvato dharmaḥ śūdrayonau hi vartatā। na tvāṃ śūdram ahaṃ manye bhavitavyaṃ hi kāraṇam ॥ yena karmavipākena prāpteyaṃ śūdratā tvayā ॥03-205-19॥
The eternal law is difficult to comprehend and governs the condition of birth as a Śūdra. I do not consider you a Śūdra; rather, destiny is the cause. By the result of your actions, this state of being a Śūdra has come to you. (03-205-19)
etadicchāmi vijñātuṁ tattvena hi mahāmate। kāmayā brūhi me tathyaṁ sarvaṁ tvaṁ prayatātmavān॥03-205-20॥
O great-minded one, I indeed wish to know this truly; out of desire, you who are self-controlled, tell me everything that is true. (03-205-20)
vyādha uvāca॥
The hunter said.
anatikramaṇīyā hi brāhmaṇā vai dvijottama। śṛṇu sarvam idaṃ vṛttaṃ pūrvadehe mam anagha ॥03-205-21॥
A brāhmaṇa must never be transgressed, O best of the twice-born. Listen, O sinless one, to all that happened in my previous life. (03-205-21)
ahaṃ hi brāhmaṇaḥ pūrvam āsaṃ dvijavarātmaja। vedādhyāyī sukuśalo vedāṅgānāṃ ca pāragaḥ॥ ātmadoṣakṛtair brahman avasthāṃ prāptavān imām॥03-205-22॥
I was formerly a Brāhmaṇa, O son of the best of twice-born; a diligent student of the Veda, highly skilled, and expert in the Vedāṅgas. But, O Brāhmaṇa, through faults of my own making, I have come to this state. (03-205-22)
kaścid rājā mama sakhā dhanurvedaparāyaṇaḥ। saṁsargād dhanuṣi śreṣṭhas tato'ham abhavaṁ dvija ॥03-205-23॥
O Brahmin, a certain king, my friend, was devoted to the science of archery; by associating with him, I became superior in archery.
etasminneva kāle tu mṛgayāṃ nirgatо nṛpaḥ। sahito yodhamukhyaiś ca mantr̥bhiś ca susaṃvṛtaḥ॥ tato'bhyahan mṛgāṃs tatra subahūn āśramaṃ prati॥03-205-24॥
At that very time, the king went out for hunting, accompanied by chief warriors and ministers, well-protected. Then he slew many animals there near the hermitage. (03-205-24)
atha kṣiptaḥ śaro ghoro mayāpi dvijasattama। tāḍitaśca munistena śareṇānataparvaṇā ॥03-205-25॥
Then, O best of twice-born, I too shot a terrible arrow, and the sage was struck by that smooth-shafted arrow. (03-205-25)
bhūmau nipatito brahmannuvāca pratinādayan। nāparādhyāmyahaṃ kiñcit kena pāpam idaṃ kṛtam ॥03-205-26॥
Having fallen to the ground, he resounded and said, "O Brahman, I have committed no fault at all; by whom has this sin been done?" (03-205-26)
manvānas taṃ mṛgaṃ cāhaṃ samprāptaḥ sahasā munim। apaśyaṃ tam ṛṣiṃ viddhaṃ śareṇānataparvaṇā॥ tam ugratapasaṃ vipraṃ niṣṭanantaṃ mahītale॥03-205-27॥
Thinking that it was the deer, I suddenly approached and saw the sage—saw that sage, pierced by a softened-jointed arrow: that Brahmin of fierce austerity groaning upon the ground. (3-205-27)
akāryakaraṇāccāpi bhṛśaṁ me vyathitaṁ manaḥ। ajānatā kṛtamidaṁ mayetyatha tam abruvam ॥ kṣantum arhasi me brahmann iti cokto mayā muniḥ ॥03-205-28॥
Because of having done what should not be done, my mind is greatly agitated. This was done by me unknowingly, so I said to him, "You ought to forgive me, O Brāhmaṇa." Thus also spoke I to the sage. (03-205-28)
tataḥ pratyabravīd vākyam ṛṣir māṃ krodhamūrchitaḥ। vyādhas tvaṃ bhavitā krūra śūdrayonāv iti dvija ॥03-205-29॥
Then the sage, filled with anger, spoke to me: 'You will become a cruel hunter, born in the womb of a śūdra,' said the Brahmin. (03-205-29)
