Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 12 Chapter 10

Lord Śiva and Umā Glorify Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi

VERSE 12.10.1

sūta uvāca

sa evam anubhūyedaṁ
nārāyaṇa-vinirmitam
vaibhavaṁ yoga-māyāyās
tam eva śaraṇaṁ yayau

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; saḥ — he, Mārkaṇḍeya; evam — in this way; anubhūya — experiencing; idam — this; nārāyaṇa-vinirmitam — manufactured by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa; vaibhavam — the opulent exhibition; yoga-māyāyāḥ — of His internal mystic energy; tam — to Him; eva — indeed; śaraṇam — for shelter; yayau — he went.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa had arranged this opulent display of His bewildering potency. Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, having experienced it, took shelter of the Lord.

VERSE 12.10.2

śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

prapanno ’smy aṅghri-mūlaṁ te
prapannābhaya-daṁ hare
yan-māyayāpi vibudhā
muhyanti jñāna-kāśayā

SYNONYMS

śrī-mārkaṇḍeyaḥ uvāca — Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said; prapannaḥ — surrendered; asmi — I am; aṅghri-mūlam — to the soles of the lotus feet; te — Your; prapanna — of those who surrender; abhaya-dam — the giver of fearlessness; hare — O Lord Hari; yat-māyayā — by whose illusory potency; api — even; vibudhāḥ — intelligent demigods; muhyanti — become bewildered; jñāna-kāśayā — which falsely appears as knowledge.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: O Lord Hari, I take shelter of the soles of Your lotus feet, which bestow fearlessness upon all who surrender to them. Even the great demigods are bewildered by Your illusory energy, which appears to them in the guise of knowledge.

VERSE 12.10.3

sūta uvāca

tam evaṁ nibhṛtātmānaṁ
vṛṣeṇa divi paryaṭan
rudrāṇyā bhagavān rudro
dadarśa sva-gaṇair vṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; tam — him, Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi; evam — thus; nibhṛta-ātmānam — his mind completely absorbed in trance; vṛṣeṇa — on his bull; divi — in the sky; paryaṭan — traveling; rudrāṇyā — accompanied by his consort, Rudrāṇī (Umā); bhagavān — the powerful lord; rudraḥ — Śiva; dadarśa — saw; sva-gaṇaiḥ — by his entourage; vṛtaḥ — surrounded.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Lord Rudra, traveling in the sky on his bull and accompanied by his consort, Rudrāṇī, as well as his personal associates, observed Mārkaṇḍeya in trance.

VERSE 12.10.4

athomā tam ṛṣiṁ vīkṣya
giriśaṁ samabhāṣata
paśyemaṁ bhagavan vipraṁ
nibhṛtātmendriyāśayam

SYNONYMS

atha — then; umā — Umā; tam — that; ṛṣim — sage; vīkṣya — seeing; giriśam — to Lord Śiva; samabhāṣata — spoke; paśya — just see; imam — this; bhagavan — my lord; vipram — learned brāhmaṇa; nibhṛta — motionless; ātma-indriya-āśayam — his body, senses and mind.

TRANSLATION

Goddess Umā, seeing the sage, addressed Lord Giriśa: My lord, just see this learned brāhmaṇa, his body, mind and senses motionless in trance.

VERSE 12.10.5

nibhṛtoda-jhaṣa-vrāto
vātāpāye yathārṇavaḥ
kurv asya tapasaḥ sākṣāt
saṁsiddhiṁ siddhi-do bhavān

SYNONYMS

nibhṛta — stationary; uda — water; jhaṣa-vrātaḥ — and schools of fish; vāta — of the wind; apāye — upon the ceasing; yathā — just as; arṇavaḥ — the ocean; kuru — please make; asya — his; tapasaḥ — of the austerities; sākṣāt — manifest; saṁsiddhim — perfection; siddhi-daḥ — the bestower of perfection; bhavān — you.

TRANSLATION

He is as calm as the waters of the ocean when the wind has ceased and the fish remain still. Therefore, my lord, since you bestow perfection on the performers of austerity, please award this sage the perfection that is obviously due him.

VERSE 12.10.6

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

naivecchaty āśiṣaḥ kvāpi
brahmarṣir mokṣam apy uta
bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati
labdhavān puruṣe ’vyaye

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the powerful lord said; na — not; eva — indeed; icchati — desires; āśiṣaḥ — benedictions; kva api — in any realm; brahma-ṛṣiḥ — the saintly brāhmaṇa; mokṣam — liberation; api uta — even; bhaktim — devotional service; parām — transcendental; bhagavati — for the Supreme Lord; labdhavān — he has achieved; puruṣe — for the Personality of Godhead; avyaye — who is inexhaustible.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva replied: Surely this saintly brāhmaṇa does not desire any benediction, not even liberation itself, for he has attained pure devotional service unto the inexhaustible Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 12.10.7

athāpi saṁvadiṣyāmo
bhavāny etena sādhunā
ayaṁ hi paramo lābho
nṛṇāṁ sādhu-samāgamaḥ

SYNONYMS

atha api — nevertheless; saṁvadiṣyāmaḥ — we shall converse; bhavāni — my dear Bhavānī; etena — with this; sādhunā — pure devotee; ayam — this; hi — indeed; paramaḥ — the best; lābhaḥ — gain; nṛṇām — for men; sādhu-samāgamaḥ — the association of saintly devotees.

TRANSLATION

Still, my dear Bhavānī, let us talk with this saintly personality. After all, association with saintly devotees is man’s highest achievement.

VERSE 12.10.8

sūta uvāca

ity uktvā tam upeyāya
bhagavān sa satāṁ gatiḥ
īśānaḥ sarva-vidyānām
īśvaraḥ sarva-dehinām

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; uktvā — having said; tam — to the sage; upeyāya — going; bhagavān — the exalted demigod; saḥ — he; satām — of the pure souls; gatiḥ — the shelter; īśānaḥ — the master; sarva-vidyānām — of all branches of knowledge; īśvaraḥ — the controller; sarva-dehinām — of all embodied living beings.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Having spoken thus, Lord Śaṅkara — the shelter of pure souls, master of all spiritual sciences and controller of all embodied living beings — approached the sage.

VERSE 12.10.9

tayor āgamanaṁ sākṣād
īśayor jagad-ātmanoḥ
na veda ruddha-dhī-vṛttir
ātmānaṁ viśvam eva ca

SYNONYMS

tayoḥ — of the two of them; āgamanam — the arrival; sākṣāt — in person; īśayoḥ — of the powerful personalities; jagat-ātmanoḥ — the controllers of the universe; na veda — he did not notice; ruddha — checked; dhī-vṛttiḥ — the functioning of his mind; ātmānam — himself; viśvam — the external universe; eva — indeed; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

Because Mārkaṇḍeya’s material mind had stopped functioning, the sage failed to notice that Lord Śiva and his wife, the controllers of the universe, had personally come to see him. Mārkaṇḍeya was so absorbed in meditation that he was unaware of either himself or the external world.

VERSE 12.10.10

bhagavāṁs tad abhijñāya
giriśo yoga-māyayā
āviśat tad-guhākāśaṁ
vāyuś chidram iveśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

bhagavān — the great personality; tat — that; abhijñāya — understanding; giriśaḥ — Lord Giriśa; yoga-māyayā — by his mystic power; āviśat — entered; tat — of Mārkaṇḍeya; guhā-ākāśam — the hidden sky of the heart; vāyuḥ — the air; chidram — a hole; iva — as if; īśvaraḥ — the lord.

TRANSLATION

Understanding the situation very well, the powerful Lord Śiva employed his mystic power to enter within the sky of Mārkaṇḍeya’s heart, just as the wind passes through an opening.

VERSE 12.10.11-13

ātmany api śivaṁ prāptaṁ
taḍit-piṅga-jaṭā-dharam
try-akṣaṁ daśa-bhujaṁ prāṁśum
udyantam iva bhāskaram

vyāghra-carmāmbaraṁ śūla-
dhanur-iṣv-asi-carmabhiḥ
akṣa-mālā-ḍamaruka-
kapālaṁ paraśuṁ saha

bibhrāṇaṁ sahasā bhātaṁ
vicakṣya hṛdi vismitaḥ
kim idaṁ kuta eveti
samādher virato muniḥ

SYNONYMS

ātmani — within himself; api — also; śivam — Lord Śiva; prāptam — arrived; taḍit — like lightning; piṅga — yellowish; jaṭā — locks of hair; dharam — carrying; tri-akṣam — with three eyes; daśa-bhujam — and ten arms; prāṁśum — very tall; udyantam — rising; iva — as; bhāskaram — the sun; vyāghra — of a tiger; carma — the fur; ambaram — as his garment; śūla — with his trident; dhanuḥ — bow; iṣu — arrows; asi — sword; carmabhiḥ — and shield; akṣa-mālā — his prayer beads; ḍamaruka — small drum; kapālam — and skull; paraśum — ax; saha — together with; bibhrāṇam — exhibiting; sahasā — suddenly; bhātam — manifest; vicakṣya — seeing; hṛdi — in his heart; vismitaḥ — surprised; kim — what; idam — this; kutaḥ — from where; eva — indeed; iti — thus; samādheḥ — from his trance; virataḥ — desisted; muniḥ — the sage.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya saw Lord Śiva suddenly appear within his heart. Lord Śiva’s golden hair resembled lightning, and he had three eyes, ten arms and a tall body that shone like the rising sun. He wore a tiger skin, and he carried a trident, a bow, arrows, a sword and a shield, along with prayer beads, a ḍamaru drum, a skull and an ax. Astonished, the sage came out of his trance and thought, “Who is this, and where has he come from?”

VERSE 12.10.14

netre unmīlya dadṛśe
sa-gaṇaṁ somayāgatam
rudraṁ tri-lokaika-guruṁ
nanāma śirasā muniḥ

SYNONYMS

netre — his eyes; unmīlya — opening; dadṛśe — he saw; sa-gaṇam — with his associates; sa-umayā — and with Umā; āgatam — having arrived; rudram — Lord Rudra; tri-loka — of the three worlds; eka-gurum — the one spiritual master; nanāma — he offered his obeisances; śirasā — with his head; muniḥ — the sage.

TRANSLATION

Opening his eyes, the sage saw Lord Rudra, the spiritual master of the three worlds, together with Umā and Rudra’s followers. Mārkaṇḍeya then offered his respectful obeisances by bowing his head.

VERSE 12.10.15

tasmai saparyāṁ vyadadhāt
sa-gaṇāya sahomayā
svāgatāsana-pādyārghya-
gandha-srag-dhūpa-dīpakaiḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmai — to him; saparyām — worship; vyadadhāt — he offered; sa-gaṇāya — together with his associates; saha umayā — together with Umā; su-āgata — by words of greeting; āsana — offering of sitting places; pādya — water for bathing the feet; arghya — fragrant drinking water; gandha — perfumed oil; srak — garlands; dhūpa — incense; dīpakaiḥ — and lamps.

TRANSLATION

Mārkaṇḍeya worshiped Lord Śiva, along with Umā and Śiva’s associates, by offering them words of welcome, sitting places, water for washing their feet, scented drinking water, fragrant oils, flower garlands and ārati lamps.

VERSE 12.10.16

āha tv ātmānubhāvena
pūrṇa-kāmasya te vibho
karavāma kim īśāna
yenedaṁ nirvṛtaṁ jagat

SYNONYMS

āha — Mārkaṇḍeya said; tu — indeed; ātma-anubhāvena — by your own experience of ecstasy; pūrṇa-kāmasya — who is satisfied in all respects; te — for you; vibho — O mighty one; karavāma — I can do; kim — what; īśāna — O lord; yena — by whom; idam — this; nirvṛtam — is made peaceful; jagat — the entire world.

TRANSLATION

Mārkaṇḍeya said: O mighty lord, what can I possibly do for you, who are fully satisfied by your own ecstasy? Indeed, by your mercy you satisfy this entire world.

VERSE 12.10.17

namaḥ śivāya śāntāya
sattvāya pramṛḍāya ca
rajo-juṣe ’tha ghorāya
namas tubhyaṁ tamo-juṣe

SYNONYMS

namaḥ — obeisances; śivāya — to the all-auspicious; śāntāya — peaceful; sattvāya — the personification of material goodness; pramṛḍāya — the giver of pleasure; ca — and; rajaḥ-juṣe — to him who is in contact with the mode of passion; atha — also; ghorāya — terrible; namaḥ — obeisances; tubhyam — to you; tamaḥ-juṣe — who associates with the mode of ignorance.

TRANSLATION

Again and again I offer my obeisances unto you, O all-auspicious transcendental personality. As the lord of goodness you give pleasure, in contact with the mode of passion you appear most fearful, and you also associate with the mode of ignorance.

VERSE 12.10.18

sūta uvāca

evaṁ stutaḥ sa bhagavān
ādi-devaḥ satāṁ gatiḥ
parituṣṭaḥ prasannātmā
prahasaṁs tam abhāṣata

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; evam — in these words; stutaḥ — praised; saḥ — he; bhagavān — the powerful Lord Śiva; ādi-devaḥ — the foremost of demigods; satām — of the saintly devotees; gatiḥ — the shelter; parituṣṭaḥ — perfectly satisfied; prasanna-ātmā — happy in his mind; prahasan — smiling; tam — to Mārkaṇḍeya; abhāṣata — spoke.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Lord Śiva, the foremost demigod and the shelter of the saintly devotees, was satisfied by Mārkaṇḍeya’s praise. Pleased, he smiled and addressed the sage.

VERSE 12.10.19

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

varaṁ vṛṇīṣva naḥ kāmaṁ
vara-deśā vayaṁ trayaḥ
amoghaṁ darśanaṁ yeṣāṁ
martyo yad vindate ’mṛtam

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — Lord Śiva said; varam — a benediction; vṛṇīṣva — please choose; naḥ — from us; kāmam — as desired; vara-da — of all givers of benedictions; īśāḥ — the controlling lords; vayam — we; trayaḥ — three (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara); amogham — never in vain; darśanam — the seeing; yeṣām — of whom; martyaḥ — a mortal being; yat — by which; vindate — achieves; amṛtam — immortality.

TRANSLATION

Lord Śiva said: Please ask me for some benediction, since among all givers of benedictions, we three — Brahmā, Viṣṇu and I — are the best. Seeing us never goes in vain, because simply by seeing us a mortal achieves immortality.

VERSE 12.10.20-21

brāhmaṇāḥ sādhavaḥ śāntā
niḥsaṅgā bhūta-vatsalāḥ
ekānta-bhaktā asmāsu
nirvairāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

sa-lokā loka-pālās tān
vandanty arcanty upāsate
ahaṁ ca bhagavān brahmā
svayaṁ ca harir īśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

brāhmaṇāḥ — brāhmaṇas; sādhavaḥ — saintly in behavior; śāntāḥ — peaceful and free of envy and other bad qualities; niḥsaṅgāḥ — free of material association; bhūta-vatsalāḥ — compassionate to all living beings; eka-anta-bhaktāḥ — unalloyed devotees; asmāsu — of ourselves (Brahmā, Lord Śrī Hari and Śiva); nirvairāḥ — never hateful; sama-darśinaḥ — seeing equally; sa-lokāḥ — with the inhabitants of all the worlds; loka-pālāḥ — the rulers of the various planets; tān — those brāhmaṇas; vandanti — glorify; arcanti — worship; upāsate — assist; aham — I; ca — also; bhagavān — the great lord; brahmā — Brahmā; svayam — Himself; ca — also; hariḥ — Lord Hari; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

The inhabitants and ruling demigods of all planets, along with Lord Brahmā, the Supreme Lord Hari and I, glorify, worship and assist those brāhmaṇas who are saintly, always peaceful, free of material attachment, compassionate to all living beings, purely devoted to us, devoid of hatred and endowed with equal vision.

VERSE 12.10.22

na te mayy acyute ’je ca
bhidām aṇv api cakṣate
nātmanaś ca janasyāpi
tad yuṣmān vayam īmahi

SYNONYMS

na — do not; te — they; mayi — in me; acyute — in Lord Viṣṇu; aje — in Lord Brahmā; ca — and; bhidām — difference; aṇu — slight; api — even; cakṣate — see; na — not; ātmanaḥ — of themselves; ca — and; janasya — of other people; api — also; tat — therefore; yuṣmān — yourselves; vayam — we; īmahi — worship.

TRANSLATION

These devotees do not differentiate between Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā and me, nor do they differentiate between themselves and other living beings. Therefore, because you are this kind of saintly devotee, we worship you.

VERSE 12.10.23

na hy am-mayāni tīrthāni
na devāś cetanojjhitāḥ
te punanty uru-kālena
yūyaṁ darśana-mātrataḥ

SYNONYMS

na — not; hi — indeed; ap-mayāni — consisting of sacred water; tīrthāni — holy places; na — not; devāḥ — deity forms of demigods; cetana-ujjhitāḥ — devoid of life; te — they; punanti — purify; uru-kālena — after a long time; yūyam — yourselves; darśana-mātrataḥ — simply by being seen.

TRANSLATION

Mere bodies of water do not constitute holy places, nor are lifeless statues of the demigods actual worshipable deities. Because external vision fails to appreciate the higher essence of the holy rivers and the demigods, these purify only after a considerable time. But devotees like you purify immediately, just by being seen.

VERSE 12.10.24

brāhmaṇebhyo namasyāmo
ye ’smad-rūpaṁ trayī-mayam
bibhraty ātma-samādhāna-
tapaḥ-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ

SYNONYMS

brāhmaṇebhyaḥ — to the brāhmaṇas; namasyāmaḥ — we offer our respects; ye — who; asmat-rūpam — the form of ourselves (Śiva, Brahmā and Viṣṇu); trayī-mayam — represented by the three Vedas; bibhrati — carry; ātma-samādhāna — by meditative trance focused on the Self; tapaḥ — by austerities; svādhyāya — by study; saṁyamaiḥ — and by following regulative principles.

TRANSLATION

By meditating upon the Supreme Soul, performing austerities, engaging in Vedic study and following regulative principles, the brāhmaṇas sustain within themselves the three Vedas, which are nondifferent from Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā and me. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto the brāhmaṇas.

VERSE 12.10.25

śravaṇād darśanād vāpi
mahā-pātakino ’pi vaḥ
śudhyerann antya-jāś cāpi
kim u sambhāṣaṇādibhiḥ

SYNONYMS

śravaṇāt — by hearing about; darśanāt — by seeing; — or; api — also; mahā-pātakinaḥ — those who commit the worst kinds of sins; api — even; vaḥ — you; śudhyeran — they become purified; antya-jāḥ — outcastes; ca — and; api — even; kim u — what to speak of; sambhāṣaṇa-ādibhiḥ — by directly speaking with, and so on.

TRANSLATION

Even the worst sinners and social outcastes are purified just by hearing about or seeing personalities like you. Imagine, then, how purified they become by directly speaking with you.

VERSE 12.10.26

sūta uvāca

iti candra-lalāmasya
dharma-gahyopabṛṁhitam
vaco ’mṛtāyanam ṛṣir
nātṛpyat karṇayoḥ piban

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; candra-lalāmasya — of Lord Śiva, who is decorated with the moon; dharma-guhya — with the secret essence of religion; upabṛṁhitam — filled; vacaḥ — the words; amṛta-ayanam — the reservoir of nectar; ṛṣiḥ — the sage; na atṛpyat — did not feel satiated; karṇayoḥ — with his ears; piban — drinking.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Drinking with his ears Lord Śiva’s nectarean words, full of the confidential essence of religion, Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi could not be satiated.

VERSE 12.10.27

sa ciraṁ māyayā viṣṇor
bhrāmitaḥ karśito bhṛśam
śiva-vāg-amṛta-dhvasta-
kleśa-puñjas tam abravīt

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he; ciram — for a long time; māyayā — by the illusory energy; viṣṇoḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; bhrāmitaḥ — made to wander; karśitaḥ — exhausted; bhṛśam — extremely; śiva — of Lord Śiva; vāk-amṛta — by the words of nectar; dhvasta — destroyed; kleśa-puñjaḥ — his heaps of suffering; tam — to him; abravīt — spoke.

TRANSLATION

Mārkaṇḍeya, having been forced by Lord Viṣṇu’s illusory energy to wander about for a long time in the water of dissolution, had become extremely exhausted. But Lord Śiva’s words of nectar vanquished his accumulated suffering. Thus he addressed Lord Śiva.

VERSE 12.10.28

śrī-mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

aho īśvara-līleyaṁ
durvibhāvyā śarīriṇām
yan namantīśitavyāni
stuvanti jagad-īśvarāḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-mārkaṇḍeyaḥ uvāca — Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said; aho — ah; īśvara — of the great lords; līlā — the pastime; iyam — this; durvibhāvyā — inconceivable; śarīriṇām — for embodied souls; yat — since; namanti — they offer obeisances; īśitavyāni — to those who are controlled by them; stuvanti — they praise; jagat-īśvarāḥ — the rulers of the universe.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said: It is indeed most difficult for embodied souls to understand the pastimes of the universal controllers, for such lords bow down to and offer praise to the very living beings they rule.

VERSE 12.10.29

dharmaṁ grāhayituṁ prāyaḥ
pravaktāraś ca dehinām
ācaranty anumodante
kriyamāṇaṁ stuvanti ca

SYNONYMS

dharmam — religion; grāhayitum — to cause the acceptance of; prāyaḥ — for the most part; pravaktāraḥ — the authorized speakers; ca — and; dehinām — for ordinary embodied souls; ācaranti — they act; anumodante — they encourage; kriyamāṇam — one who is executing; stuvanti — they praise; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

Generally it is to induce embodied souls to accept religious principles that the authorized teachers of religion exhibit ideal behavior while encouraging and praising the proper behavior of others.

VERSE 12.10.30

naitāvatā bhagavataḥ
sva-māyā-maya-vṛttibhiḥ
na duṣyetānubhāvas tair
māyinaḥ kuhakaṁ yathā

SYNONYMS

na — not; etāvatā — by such (a show of humility); bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; sva-māyā — of His own illusory energy; maya — consisting of; vṛttibhiḥ — by the activities; na duṣyeta — is not spoiled; anubhāvaḥ — the power; taiḥ — by them; māyinaḥ — of a magician; kuhakam — the tricks; yathā — just as.

TRANSLATION

This apparent humility is simply a show of mercy. Such behavior of the Supreme Lord and His personal associates, which the Lord effects by His own bewildering potency, does not spoil His power any more than a magician’s powers are diminished by his exhibition of tricks.

VERSE 12.10.31-32

sṛṣṭvedaṁ manasā viśvam
ātmanānupraviśya yaḥ
guṇaiḥ kurvadbhir ābhāti
karteva svapna-dṛg yathā

tasmai namo bhagavate
tri-guṇāya guṇātmane
kevalāyādvitīyāya
gurave brahma-mūrtaye

SYNONYMS

sṛṣṭvā — creating; idam — this; manasā — by His mind, simply by His desire; viśvam — the universe; ātmanā — as the Supersoul; anupraviśya — subsequently entering; yaḥ — who; guṇaiḥ — by the modes of nature; kurvadbhiḥ — which are acting; ābhāti — appears; kartā iva — as if the doer; svapna-dṛk — a person who is seeing a dream; yathā — as; tasmai — unto Him; namaḥ — obeisances; bhagavate — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tri-guṇāya — who possesses the three modes of nature; guṇa-ātmane — who is the ultimate controller of the modes of nature; kevalāya — to the pure; advitīyāya — who has no equal; gurave — the supreme spiritual master; brahma-mūrtaye — the personal form of the Absolute Truth.

TRANSLATION

I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has created this entire universe simply by His desire and then entered into it as the Supersoul. By making the modes of nature act, He seems to be the direct creator of this world, just as a dreamer seems to be acting within his dream. He is the owner and ultimate controller of the three modes of nature, yet He remains alone and pure, without any equal. He is the supreme spiritual master of all, the original personal form of the Absolute Truth.

VERSE 12.10.33

kaṁ vṛṇe nu paraṁ bhūman
varaṁ tvad vara-darśanāt
yad-darśanāt pūrṇa-kāmaḥ
satya-kāmaḥ pumān bhavet

SYNONYMS

kam — what; vṛṇe — shall I choose; nu — indeed; param — other; bhūman — O all-pervading lord; varam — benediction; tvat — from you; vara-darśanāt — the sight of whom is itself the highest benediction; yat — of whom; darśanāt — from the seeing; pūrṇa-kāmaḥ — full in all desires; satya-kāmaḥ — able to achieve anything desired; pumān — a person; bhavet — becomes.

TRANSLATION

O all-pervading lord, since I have received the benediction of seeing you, what other benediction can I ask for? Simply by seeing you, a person fulfills all his desires and can achieve anything imaginable.

VERSE 12.10.34

varam ekaṁ vṛṇe ’thāpi
pūrṇāt kāmābhivarṣaṇāt
bhagavaty acyutāṁ bhaktiṁ
tat-pareṣu tathā tvayi

SYNONYMS

varam — benediction; ekam — one; vṛṇe — I request; atha api — nevertheless; pūrṇāt — from him who is completely full; kāma-abhivarṣaṇāt — who showers down the fulfillment of desires; bhagavati — for the Supreme Personality of Godhead; acyutām — infallible; bhaktim — devotional service; tat-pareṣu — for those who are dedicated to Him; tathā — and also; tvayi — for yourself.

TRANSLATION

But I do request one benediction from you, who are full of all perfection and able to shower down the fulfillment of all desires. I ask to have unfailing devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and for His dedicated devotees, especially you.

VERSE 12.10.35

sūta uvāca

ity arcito ’bhiṣṭutaś ca
muninā sūktayā girā
tam āha bhagavāñ charvaḥ
śarvayā cābhinanditaḥ

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — in these words; arcitaḥ — worshiped; abhiṣṭutaḥ — glorified; ca — and; muninā — by the sage; su-uktayā — well-spoken; girā — with words; tam — to him; āha — spoke; bhagavān śarvaḥ — Lord Śiva; śarvayā — by his consort, Śarvā; ca — and; abhinanditaḥ — encouraged.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus worshiped and glorified by the eloquent statements of the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, Lord Śarva [Śiva], encouraged by his consort, replied to him as follows.

VERSE 12.10.36

kāmo maharṣe sarvo ’yaṁ
bhaktimāṁs tvam adhokṣaje
ā-kalpāntād yaśaḥ puṇyam
ajarāmaratā tathā

SYNONYMS

kāmaḥ — desire; mahā-ṛṣe — O great sage; sarvaḥ — all; ayam — this; bhakti-mān — full of devotion; tvam — you; adhokṣaje — for the transcendental Personality of Godhead; ā-kalpa-antāt — up until the end of the day of Brahmā; yaśaḥ — fame; puṇyam — pious; ajara-amaratā — freedom from old age and death; tathā — also.

TRANSLATION

O great sage, because you are devoted to Lord Adhokṣaja, all your desires will be fulfilled. Until the very end of this creation cycle, you will enjoy pious fame and freedom from old age and death.

VERSE 12.10.37

jñānaṁ trai-kālikaṁ brahman
vijñānaṁ ca viraktimat
brahma-varcasvino bhūyāt
purāṇācāryatāstu te

SYNONYMS

jñānam — knowledge; trai-kālikam — of all three phases of time (past, present and future); brahman — O brāhmaṇa; vijñānam — transcendental realization; ca — also; virakti-mat — including renunciation; brahma-varcasvinaḥ — of him who is endowed with brahminical potency; bhūyāt — let there be; purāṇa-ācāryatā — the status of being a teacher of the Purāṇas; astu — may there be; te — of you.

TRANSLATION

O brāhmaṇa, may you have perfect knowledge of past, present and future, along with transcendental realization of the Supreme, enriched by renunciation. You have the brilliance of an ideal brāhmaṇa, and thus may you achieve the post of spiritual master of the Purāṇas.

VERSE 12.10.38

sūta uvāca

evaṁ varān sa munaye
dattvāgāt try-akṣa īśvaraḥ
devyai tat-karma kathayann
anubhūtaṁ purāmunā

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; varān — benedictions; saḥ — he; munaye — to the sage; dattvā — giving; agāt — went; tri-akṣaḥ — he who has three eyes; īśvaraḥ — Lord Śiva; devyai — to goddess Pārvatī; tat-karma — the activities of Mārkaṇḍeya; kathayan — recounting; anubhūtam — what was experienced; purā — before; amunā — by him, Mārkaṇḍeya.

TRANSLATION

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Having thus granted Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi benedictions, Lord Śiva went on his way, continuing to describe to goddess Devī the accomplishments of the sage and the direct exhibition of the Lord’s illusory power that he had experienced.

VERSE 12.10.39

so ’py avāpta-mahā-yoga-
mahimā bhārgavottamaḥ
vicaraty adhunāpy addhā
harāv ekāntatāṁ gataḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he, Mārkaṇḍeya; api — indeed; avāpta — having achieved; mahā-yoga — of the topmost perfection of yoga; mahimā — the glories; bhārgava-uttamaḥ — the best descendant of Bhṛgu; vicarati — is traveling about; adhunā api — even today; addhā — directly; harau — for Lord Hari; eka-antatām — the platform of exclusive devotion; gataḥ — having attained.

TRANSLATION

Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, the best of the descendants of Bhṛgu, is glorious because of his achievement of perfection in mystic yoga. Even today he travels about this world, fully absorbed in unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 12.10.40

anuvarṇitam etat te
mārkaṇḍeyasya dhīmataḥ
anubhūtaṁ bhagavato
māyā-vaibhavam adbhutam

SYNONYMS

anuvarṇitam — described; etat — this; te — to you; mārkaṇḍeyasya — by Mārkaṇḍeya; dhī-mataḥ — the intelligent; anubhūtam — experienced; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; māyā-vaibhavam — the opulence of the illusory energy; adbhutam — amazing.

TRANSLATION

I have thus narrated to you the activities of the highly intelligent sage Mārkaṇḍeya, especially how he experienced the amazing power of the Supreme Lord’s illusory energy.

VERSE 12.10.41

etat kecid avidvāṁso
māyā-saṁsṛtir ātmanaḥ
anādy-āvartitaṁ nṝṇāṁ
kādācitkaṁ pracakṣate

SYNONYMS

etat — this; kecit — some persons; avidvāṁsaḥ — who are not learned; māyā-saṁsṛtiḥ — the illusory creation; ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul; anādi — from time immemorial; āvartitam — repeating; nṝṇām — of conditioned living beings; kādācitkam — unprecedented; pracakṣate — they say.

TRANSLATION

Although this event was unique and unprecedented, some unintelligent persons compare it to the cycle of illusory material existence the Supreme Lord has created for the conditioned souls — an endless cycle that has been continuing since time immemorial.

VERSE 12.10.42

ya evam etad bhṛgu-varya varṇitaṁ
rathāṅga-pāṇer anubhāva-bhāvitam
saṁśrāvayet saṁśṛṇuyād u tāv ubhau
tayor na karmāśaya-saṁsṛtir bhavet

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — who; evam — thus; etat — this; bhṛgu-varya — O best of the descendants of Bhṛgu (Śaunaka); varṇitam — described; ratha-aṅga-pāṇeḥ — of Lord Śrī Hari, who carries a chariot wheel in His hand; anubhāva — with the potency; bhāvitam — infused; saṁśrāvayet — causes anyone to hear; saṁśṛṇuyāt — himself hears; u — or; tau — they; ubhau — both; tayoḥ — of them; na — not; karma-āśaya — based on the mentality of fruitive work; saṁsṛtiḥ — the cycle of material life; bhavet — there is.

TRANSLATION

O best of the Bhṛgus, this account concerning Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi conveys the transcendental potency of the Supreme Lord. Anyone who properly narrates or hears it will never again undergo material existence, which is based on the desire to perform fruitive activities.