Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Sees the Illusory Potency of the Lord
VERSE 12.9.1
sūta uvāca
saṁstuto bhagavān itthaṁ
mārkaṇḍeyena dhīmatā
nārāyaṇo nara-sakhaḥ
prīta āha bhṛgūdvaham
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; saṁstutaḥ — properly glorified; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; ittham — in this way; mārkaṇḍeyena — by Mārkaṇḍeya; dhī-matā — the intelligent sage; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa; nara-sakhaḥ — the friend of Nara; prītaḥ — satisfied; āha — spoke; bhṛgu-udvaham — to the most eminent descendant of Bhṛgu.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: The Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa, the friend of Nara, was satisfied by the proper glorification offered by the intelligent sage Mārkaṇḍeya. Thus the Lord addressed that excellent descendant of Bhṛgu.
VERSE 12.9.2
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bho bho brahmarṣi-varyo ’si
siddha ātma-samādhinā
mayi bhaktyānapāyinyā
tapaḥ-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; bhoḥ bhoḥ — dear sage; brahma-ṛṣi — of all learned brāhmaṇas; varyaḥ — the best; asi — you are; siddhaḥ — perfect; ātma-samādhinā — by fixed meditation upon the Self; mayi — directed toward Me; bhaktyā — by devotional service; anapāyinyā — undeviating; tapaḥ — by austerities; svādhyāya — study of the Vedas; saṁyamaiḥ — and regulative principles.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Mārkaṇḍeya, you are indeed the best of all learned brāhmaṇas. You have perfected your life by practicing fixed meditation upon the Supreme Soul, as well as by focusing upon Me your undeviating devotional service, your austerities, your study of the Vedas and your strict adherence to regulative principles.
VERSE 12.9.3
vayaṁ te parituṣṭāḥ sma
tvad-bṛhad-vrata-caryayā
varaṁ pratīccha bhadraṁ te
vara-do ’smi tvad-īpsitam
SYNONYMS
vayam — We; te — with you; parituṣṭāḥ — perfectly satisfied; sma — have become; tvat — your; bṛhat-vrata — of the vow of lifelong celibacy; caryayā — by performance; varam — a benediction; pratīccha — please choose; bhadram — all good; te — unto you; vara-daḥ — the giver of benedictions; asmi — I am; tvat-īpsitam — desired by you.
TRANSLATION
We are perfectly satisfied with your practice of lifelong celibacy. Please choose whatever benediction you desire, since I can grant your wish. May you enjoy all good fortune.
VERSE 12.9.4
śrī-ṛṣir uvāca
jitaṁ te deva-deveśa
prapannārti-harācyuta
vareṇaitāvatālaṁ no
yad bhavān samadṛśyata
SYNONYMS
śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the sage said; jitam — are victorious; te — You; deva-deva-īśa — O Lord of lords; prapanna — of one who is surrendered; ārti-hara — O remover of all distress; acyuta — O infallible one; vareṇa — with the benediction; etāvatā — this much; alam — enough; naḥ — by us; yat — that; bhavān — Your good self; samadṛśyata — has been seen.
TRANSLATION
The sage said: O Lord of lords, all glories to You! O Lord Acyuta, You remove all distress for the devotees who surrender unto You. That you have allowed me to see You is all the benediction I want.
VERSE 12.9.5
gṛhītvājādayo yasya
śrīmat-pādābja-darśanam
manasā yoga-pakvena
sa bhavān me ’kṣi-gocaraḥ
SYNONYMS
gṛhītvā — receiving; aja-ādayaḥ — (became) Brahmā and others; yasya — whose; śrīmat — all-opulent; pāda-abja — of the lotus feet; darśanam — the sight; manasā — by the mind; yoga-pakvena — matured in yoga practice; saḥ — He; bhavān — Yourself; me — my; akṣi — to the eyes; go-caraḥ — perceptible.
TRANSLATION
Such demigods as Lord Brahmā achieved their exalted positions simply by seeing Your beautiful lotus feet after their minds had become mature in yoga practice. And now, my Lord, You have personally appeared before me.
VERSE 12.9.6
athāpy ambuja-patrākṣa
puṇya-śloka-śikhāmaṇe
drakṣye māyāṁ yayā lokaḥ
sa-pālo veda sad-bhidām
SYNONYMS
atha api — nonetheless; ambuja-patra — like the petals of a lotus; akṣa — O You whose eyes; puṇya-śloka — of famous personalities; śikhāmaṇe — O crest jewel; drakṣye — I desire to see; māyām — the illusory energy; yayā — by which; lokaḥ — the entire world; sa-pālaḥ — along with its ruling demigods; veda — considers; sat — of the absolute reality; bhidām — material differentiation.
TRANSLATION
O lotus-eyed Lord, O crest jewel of renowned personalities, although I am satisfied simply by seeing You, I do wish to see Your illusory potency, by whose influence the entire world, together with its ruling demigods, considers reality to be materially variegated.
VERSE 12.9.7
sūta uvāca
itīḍito ’rcitaḥ kāmam
ṛṣiṇā bhagavān mune
tatheti sa smayan prāgād
badary-āśramam īśvaraḥ
SYNONYMS
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — in these words; īḍitaḥ — glorified; arcitaḥ — worshiped; kāmam — satisfactorily; ṛṣiṇā — by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; mune — O wise Śaunaka; tathā iti — “so be it”; saḥ — He; smayan — smiling; prāgāt — departed; badarī-āśramam — for the hermitage Badarikāśrama; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Sūta Gosvāmī said: O wise Śaunaka, thus satisfied by Mārkaṇḍeya’s praise and worship, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, smiling, replied, “So be it,” and then departed for His hermitage at Badarikāśrama.
VERSE 12.9.8-9
tam eva cintayann artham
ṛṣiḥ svāśrama eva saḥ
vasann agny-arka-somāmbu-
bhū-vāyu-viyad-ātmasu
dhyāyan sarvatra ca hariṁ
bhāva-dravyair apūjayat
kvacit pūjāṁ visasmāra
prema-prasara-samplutaḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — that; eva — indeed; cintayan — thinking of; artham — the goal; ṛṣiḥ — the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; sva-āśrame — at his own hermitage; eva — indeed; saḥ — he; vasan — remaining; agni — in the fire; arka — the sun; soma — the moon; ambu — the water; bhū — the earth; vāyu — the wind; viyat — the lightning; ātmasu — and in his own heart; dhyāyan — meditating; sarvatra — in all circumstances; ca — and; harim — upon Lord Hari; bhāva-dravyaiḥ — with paraphernalia conceived in his mind; apūjayat — he offered worship; kvacit — sometimes; pūjām — the worship; visasmāra — he forgot; prema — of pure love of God; prasara — in the flood; samplutaḥ — being drowned.
TRANSLATION
Thinking always of his desire to see the Lord’s illusory energy, the sage remained in his āśrama, meditating constantly upon the Lord within fire, the sun, the moon, water, the earth, air, lightning and his own heart and worshiping Him with paraphernalia conceived in his mind. But sometimes, overwhelmed by waves of love for the Lord, Mārkaṇḍeya would forget to perform his regular worship.
VERSE 12.9.10
tasyaikadā bhṛgu-śreṣṭha
puṣpabhadrā-taṭe muneḥ
upāsīnasya sandhyāyāṁ
brahman vāyur abhūn mahān
SYNONYMS
tasya — while he; ekadā — one day; bhṛgu-śreṣṭha — O best of the descendants of Bhṛgu; puṣpabhadrā-taṭe — on the bank of the river Puṣpabhadrā; muneḥ — the sage; upāsīnasya — was performing worship; sandhyāyām — at the juncture of the day; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; vāyuḥ — a wind; abhūt — arose; mahān — great.
TRANSLATION
O brāhmaṇa Śaunaka, best of the Bhṛgus, one day while Mārkaṇḍeya was performing his evening worship on the bank of the Puṣpabhadrā, a great wind suddenly arose.
VERSE 12.9.11
taṁ caṇḍa-śabdaṁ samudīrayantaṁ
balāhakā anv abhavan karālāḥ
akṣa-sthaviṣṭhā mumucus taḍidbhiḥ
svananta uccair abhi varṣa-dhārāḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — that wind; caṇḍa-śabdam — a terrible sound; samudīrayantam — which was creating; balāhakāḥ — clouds; anu — following it; abhavan — appeared; karālāḥ — fearful; akṣa — like wagon wheels; sthaviṣṭhāḥ — solid; mumucuḥ — they released; taḍidbhiḥ — along with lightning; svanantaḥ — resounding; uccaiḥ — greatly; abhi — in all directions; varṣa — of rain; dhārāḥ — torrents.
TRANSLATION
That wind created a terrible sound and brought in its wake fearsome clouds that were accompanied by lightning and roaring thunder and that poured down on all sides torrents of rain as heavy as wagon wheels.
VERSE 12.9.12
tato vyadṛśyanta catuḥ samudrāḥ
samantataḥ kṣmā-talam āgrasantaḥ
samīra-vegormibhir ugra-nakra-
mahā-bhayāvarta-gabhīra-ghoṣāḥ
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — then; vyadṛśyanta — appeared; catuḥ samudrāḥ — the four oceans; samantataḥ — on all sides; kṣmā-talam — the surface of the earth; āgrasantaḥ — swallowing up; samīra — of the wind; vega — impelled by the force; ūrmibhiḥ — with their waves; ugra — terrible; nakra — with sea monsters; mahā-bhaya — very fearful; āvarta — with whirlpools; gabhīra — grave; ghoṣāḥ — with sounds.
TRANSLATION
Then the four great oceans appeared on all sides, swallowing up the surface of the earth with their wind-tossed waves. In these oceans were terrible sea monsters, fearful whirlpools and ominous rumblings.
VERSE 12.9.13
antar bahiś cādbhir ati-dyubhiḥ kharaiḥ
śatahradābhir upatāpitaṁ jagat
catur-vidhaṁ vīkṣya sahātmanā munir
jalāplutāṁ kṣmāṁ vimanāḥ samatrasat
SYNONYMS
antaḥ — internally; bahiḥ — externally; ca — and; adbhiḥ — by the water; ati-dyubhiḥ — rising higher than the sky; kharaiḥ — by the fierce (winds); śata-hradābhiḥ — by lightning bolts; upatāpitam — greatly distressed; jagat — all the inhabitants of the universe; catuḥ-vidham — of four varieties (those who have taken birth from embryos, from eggs, from seeds and from perspiration); vīkṣya — seeing; saha — along with; ātmanā — himself; muniḥ — the sage; jala — by the water; āplutām — flooded; kṣmām — the earth; vimanāḥ — perplexed; samatrasat — he became fearful.
TRANSLATION
The sage saw all the inhabitants of the universe, including himself, tormented within and without by the harsh winds, the bolts of lightning, and the great waves rising beyond the sky. As the whole earth flooded, he grew perplexed and fearful.
VERSE 12.9.14
tasyaivam udvīkṣata ūrmi-bhīṣaṇaḥ
prabhañjanāghūrṇita-vār mahārṇavaḥ
āpūryamāṇo varaṣadbhir ambudaiḥ
kṣmām apyadhād dvīpa-varṣādribhiḥ samam
SYNONYMS
tasya — while he; evam — in this way; udvīkṣataḥ — was looking on; ūrmi — with its waves; bhīṣaṇaḥ — frightening; prabhañjana — by hurricane winds; āghūrṇita — swirled around; vāḥ — its water; mahā-arṇavaḥ — the great ocean; āpūryamānaḥ — becoming filled; varaṣadbhiḥ — with rain; ambu-daiḥ — by the clouds; kṣmām — the earth; apyadhāt — covered over; dvīpa — with its islands; varṣa — continents; adribhiḥ — and mountains; samam — together.
TRANSLATION
Even as Mārkaṇḍeya looked on, the rain pouring down from the clouds filled the ocean more and more until that great sea, its waters violently whipped into terrifying waves by hurricanes, covered up all the earth’s islands, mountains and continents.
VERSE 12.9.15
sa-kṣmāntarikṣaṁ sa-divaṁ sa-bhā-gaṇaṁ
trai-lokyam āsīt saha digbhir āplutam
sa eka evorvarito mahā-munir
babhrāma vikṣipya jaṭā jaḍāndha-vat
SYNONYMS
sa — along with; kṣmā — the earth; antarikṣam — and outer space; sa-divam — along with the heavenly planets; sa-bhā-gaṇam — along with all the celestial bodies; trai-lokyam — the three worlds; āsīt — became; saha — along with; digbhiḥ — all the directions; āplutam — flooded; saḥ — he; ekaḥ — alone; eva — indeed; urvaritaḥ — remaining; mahā-muniḥ — the great sage; babhrāma — wandered about; vikṣipya — scattering; jaṭāḥ — his matted locks; jaḍa — a dumb person; andha — a blind person; vat — like.
TRANSLATION
The water inundated the earth, outer space, heaven and the celestial region. Indeed, the entire expanse of the universe was flooded in all directions, and out of all its inhabitants only Mārkaṇḍeya remained. His matted hair scattered, the great sage wandered about alone in the water as if dumb and blind.
VERSE 12.9.16
kṣut-tṛṭ-parīto makarais timiṅgilair
upadruto vīci-nabhasvatāhataḥ
tamasy apāre patito bhraman diśo
na veda khaṁ gāṁ ca pariśrameṣitaḥ
SYNONYMS
kṣut — by hunger; tṛṭ — and thirst; parītaḥ — enveloped; makaraiḥ — by the makaras, a species of monster crocodile; timiṅgilaiḥ — and by the timiṅgila, a variety of huge fish that eats whales; upadrutaḥ — harassed; vīci — by the waves; nabhasvatā — and the wind; āhataḥ — tormented; tamasi — in the darkness; apāre — which was unlimited; patitaḥ — having fallen; bhraman — wandering; diśaḥ — the directions; na veda — did not recognize; kham — the sky; gām — the earth; ca — and; pariśrama-iṣitaḥ — overcome by exhaustion.
TRANSLATION
Tormented by hunger and thirst, attacked by monstrous makaras and timiṅgila fish and battered by the wind and waves, he moved aimlessly through the infinite darkness into which he had fallen. As he grew increasingly exhausted, he lost all sense of direction and could not tell the sky from the earth.
VERSE 12.9.17-18
kracin magno mahāvarte
taralais tāḍitaḥ kvacit
yādobhir bhakṣyate kvāpi
svayam anyonya-ghātibhiḥ
kvacic chokaṁ kvacin mohaṁ
kvacid duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ bhayam
kvacin mṛtyum avāpnoti
vyādhy-ādibhir utārditaḥ
SYNONYMS
kvacit — sometimes; magnaḥ — drowning; mahā-āvarte — in a great whirlpool; taralaiḥ — by the waves; tāḍitaḥ — beaten; kvacit — sometimes; yādobhiḥ — by the aquatic monsters; bhakṣyate — he was threatened with being eaten; kva api — sometimes; svayam — himself; anyonya — each other; ghātibhiḥ — attacking; kvacit — sometimes; śokam — depression; kvacit — sometimes; moham — bewilderment; kvacit — sometimes; duḥkham — misery; sukham — happiness; bhayam — fear; kvacit — sometimes; mṛtyum — death; avāpnoti — he experienced; vyādhi — by disease; ādibhiḥ — and other pains; uta — also; arditaḥ — distressed.
TRANSLATION
At times he was engulfed by the great whirlpools, sometimes he was beaten by the mighty waves, and at other times the aquatic monsters threatened to devour him as they attacked one another. Sometimes he felt lamentation, bewilderment, misery, happiness or fear, and at other times he experienced such terrible illness and pain that he felt himself dying.
VERSE 12.9.19
ayutāyuta-varṣāṇāṁ
sahasrāṇi śatāni ca
vyatīyur bhramatas tasmin
viṣṇu-māyāvṛtātmanaḥ
SYNONYMS
ayuta — tens of thousands; ayuta — by tens of thousands; varṣāṇām — of years; sahasrāṇi — thousands; śatāni — hundreds; ca — and; vyatīyuḥ — passed by; bhramataḥ — as he wandered; tasmin — in that; viṣṇu-māyā — by the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu; āvṛta — covered; ātmanaḥ — his mind.
TRANSLATION
Countless millions of years passed as Mārkaṇḍeya wandered about in that deluge, his mind bewildered by the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
VERSE 12.9.20
sa kadācid bhramaṁs tasmin
pṛthivyāḥ kakudi dvijaḥ
nyāgrodha-potaṁ dadṛśe
phala-pallava-śobhitam
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he; kadācit — on one occasion; bhraman — while wandering; tasmin — in that water; pṛthivyāḥ — of earth; kakudi — upon a raised place; dvijaḥ — the brāhmaṇa; nyāgrodha-potam — a young banyan tree; dadṛśe — saw; phala — with fruits; pallava — and blossoms; śobhitam — decorated.
TRANSLATION
Once, while wandering in the water, the brāhmaṇa Mārkaṇḍeya discovered a small island, upon which stood a young banyan tree bearing blossoms and fruits.
VERSE 12.9.21
prāg-uttarasyāṁ śākhāyāṁ
tasyāpi dadṛśe śiśum
śayānaṁ parṇa-puṭake
grasantaṁ prabhayā tamaḥ
SYNONYMS
prāk-uttarasyām — toward the northeast; śākhāyām — upon a branch; tasya — of that tree; api — indeed; dadṛśe — he saw; śiśum — an infant boy; śayānam — lying; parṇa-puṭake — within the concavity of a leaf; grasantam — swallowing; prabhayā — with His effulgence; tamaḥ — the darkness.
TRANSLATION
Upon a branch of the northeast portion of that tree he saw an infant boy lying within a leaf. The child’s effulgence was swallowing up the darkness.
VERSE 12.9.22-25
mahā-marakata-śyāmaṁ
śrīmad-vadana-paṅkajam
kambu-grīvaṁ mahoraskaṁ
su-nasaṁ sundara-bhruvam
śvāsaijad-alakābhātaṁ
kambu-śrī-karṇa-dāḍimam
vidrumādhara-bhāseṣac-
choṇāyita-sudhā-smitam
padma-garbhāruṇāpāṅgaṁ
hṛdya-hāsāvalokanam
śvāsaijad-vali-saṁvigna-
nimna-nābhi-dalodaram
cārv-aṅgulibhyāṁ pāṇibhyām
unnīya caraṇāmbujam
mukhe nidhāya viprendro
dhayantaṁ vīkṣya vismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
mahā-marakata — like a great emerald; śyāmam — dark blue; śrīmat — beautiful; vadana-paṅkajam — whose lotus face; kambu — like a conchshell; grīvam — whose throat; mahā — broad; uraskam — whose chest; su-nasam — having a beautiful nose; sundara-bhruvam — having beautiful eyebrows; śvāsa — by His breath; ejat — trembling; alaka — with the hair; ābhātam — splendid; kambu — like a conchshell; śrī — beautiful; karṇa — His ears; dāḍimam — resembling pomegranate flowers; vidruma — like coral; adhara — of His lips; bhāsā — by the effulgence; īṣat — slightly; śoṇāyita — reddened; sudhā — nectarean; smitam — His smile; padma-garbha — like the whorl of a lotus; aruṇa — reddish; apāṅgam — the corners of His eyes; hṛdya — charming; hāsa — with a smile; avalokanam — His countenance; śvāsa — by His breath; ejat — made to move; vali — by the lines; saṁvigna — contorted; nimna — deep; nābhi — with His navel; dala — like a leaf; udaram — whose abdomen; cāru — attractive; aṅgulibhyām — having fingers; pāṇibhyām — by His two hands; unnīya — picking up; caraṇa-ambujam — His lotus foot; mukhe — in His mouth; nidhāya — placing; vipra-indraḥ — the best of brāhmaṇas, Mārkaṇḍeya; dhayantam — drinking; vīkṣya — seeing; vismitaḥ — was amazed.
TRANSLATION
The infant’s dark-blue complexion was the color of a flawless emerald, His lotus face shone with a wealth of beauty, and His throat bore marks like the lines on a conchshell. He had a broad chest, a finely shaped nose, beautiful eyebrows, and lovely ears that resembled pomegranate flowers and that had inner folds like a conchshell’s spirals. The corners of His eyes were reddish like the whorl of a lotus, and the effulgence of His corallike lips slightly reddened the nectarean, enchanting smile on His face. As He breathed, His splendid hair trembled and His deep navel became distorted by the moving folds of skin on His abdomen, which resembled a banyan leaf. The exalted brāhmaṇa watched with amazement as the infant took hold of one of His lotus feet with His graceful fingers, placed a toe within His mouth and began to suck.
VERSE 12.9.26
tad-darśanād vīta-pariśramo mudā
protphulla-hṛt-padma-vilocanāmbujaḥ
prahṛṣṭa-romādbhuta-bhāva-śaṅkitaḥ
praṣṭuṁ puras taṁ prasasāra bālakam
SYNONYMS
tat-darśanāt — by seeing the child; vīta — dispelled; pariśramaḥ — his weariness; mudā — out of pleasure; protphulla — expanded wide; hṛt-padma — the lotus of his heart; vilocana-ambujaḥ — and his lotus eyes; prahṛṣṭa — standing on end; romā — the hairs on his body; adbhuta-bhāva — about the identity of this wonderful form; śaṅkitaḥ — confused; praṣṭum — in order to inquire; puraḥ — in front; tam — of Him; prasasāra — he approached; bālakam — the child.
TRANSLATION
As Mārkaṇḍeya beheld the child, all his weariness vanished. Indeed, so great was his pleasure that the lotus of his heart, along with his lotus eyes, fully blossomed and the hairs on his body stood on end. Confused as to the identity of the wonderful infant, the sage approached Him.
VERSE 12.9.27
tāvac chiśor vai śvasitena bhārgavaḥ
so ’ntaḥ śarīraṁ maśako yathāviśat
tatrāpy ado nyastam acaṣṭa kṛtsnaśo
yathā purāmuhyad atīva vismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
tāvat — at that very moment; śiśoḥ — of the infant; vai — indeed; śvasitena — with the breathing; bhārgavaḥ — the descendant of Bhṛgu; saḥ — he; antaḥ śarīram — within the body; maśakaḥ — a mosquito; yathā — just like; aviśat — entered; tatra — therein; api — indeed; adaḥ — this universe; nyastam — placed; acaṣṭa — he saw; kṛtsnaśaḥ — entire; yathā — as; purā — previously; amuhyat — he became bewildered; atīva — extremely; vismitaḥ — surprised.
TRANSLATION
Just then the child inhaled, drawing Mārkaṇḍeya within His body like a mosquito. There the sage found the entire universe arrayed as it had been before its dissolution. Seeing this, Mārkaṇḍeya was most astonished and perplexed.
VERSE 12.9.28-29
khaṁ rodasī bhā-gaṇān adri-sāgarān
dvīpān sa-varṣān kakubhaḥ surāsurān
vanāni deśān saritaḥ purākarān
kheṭān vrajān āśrama-varṇa-vṛttayaḥ
mahānti bhūtāny atha bhautikāny asau
kālaṁ ca nānā-yuga-kalpa-kalpanam
yat kiñcid anyad vyavahāra-kāraṇaṁ
dadarśa viśvaṁ sad ivāvabhāsitam
SYNONYMS
kham — the sky; rodasī — the heavens and earth; bhā-gaṇān — all the stars; adri — the mountains; sāgarān — and oceans; dvīpān — the great islands; sa-varṣān — along with the continents; kakubhaḥ — the directions; sura-asurān — the saintly devotees and the demons; vanāni — the forests; deśān — the various countries; saritaḥ — the rivers; pura — the cities; ākarān — and the mines; kheṭān — the agricultural villages; vrajān — the cow pastures; āśrama-varṇa — of the various spiritual and occupational divisions of society; vṛttayaḥ — the engagements; mahānti bhūtāni — the basic elements of nature; atha — and; bhautikāni — all their gross manifestations; asau — he; kālam — time; ca — also; nānā-yuga-kalpa — of the different millennia and the days of Brahmā; kalpanam — the regulating agent; yat kiñcit — whatever; anyat — other; vyavahāra-kāraṇam — object intended for use in material life; dadarśa — he saw; viśvam — the universe; sat — real; iva — as if; avabhāsitam — manifest.
TRANSLATION
The sage saw the entire universe: the sky, heavens and earth, the stars, mountains, oceans, great islands and continents, the expanses in every direction, the saintly and demoniac living beings, the forests, countries, rivers, cities and mines, the agricultural villages and cow pastures, and the occupational and spiritual activities of the various social divisions. He also saw the basic elements of creation along with all their by-products, as well as time itself, which regulates the progression of countless ages within the days of Brahmā. In addition, he saw everything else created for use in material life. All this he saw manifested before him as if it were real.
VERSE 12.9.30
himālayaṁ puṣpavahāṁ ca tāṁ nadīṁ
nijāśramaṁ yatra ṛṣī apaśyata
viśvaṁ vipaśyañ chvasitāc chiśor vai
bahir nirasto nyapatal layābdhau
SYNONYMS
himālayam — the Himālaya Mountains; puṣpa-vahām — Puṣpabhadrā; ca — and; tām — that; nadīm — river; nija-āśramam — his own hermitage; yatra — where; ṛṣī — the two sages, Nara-Nārāyaṇa; apaśyata — he saw; viśvam — the universe; vipaśyan — while observing; śvasitāt — by the breath; śiśoḥ — of the infant; vai — indeed; bahiḥ — outside; nirastaḥ — expelled; nyapatat — he fell; laya-abdhau — into the ocean of dissolution.
TRANSLATION
He saw before him the Himālaya Mountains, the Puṣpabhadrā River, and his own hermitage, where he had had the audience of the sages Nara-Nārāyaṇa. Then, as Mārkaṇḍeya beheld the entire universe, the infant exhaled, expelling the sage from His body and casting him back into the ocean of dissolution.
VERSE 12.9.31-32
tasmin pṛthivyāḥ kakudi prarūḍhaṁ
vaṭaṁ ca tat-parṇa-puṭe śayānam
tokaṁ ca tat-prema-sudhā-smitena
nirīkṣito ’pāṅga-nirīkṣaṇena
atha taṁ bālakaṁ vīkṣya
netrābhyāṁ dhiṣṭhitaṁ hṛdi
abhyayād ati-saṅkliṣṭaḥ
pariṣvaktum adhokṣajam
SYNONYMS
tasmin — in that water; pṛthivyāḥ — of land; kakudi — on the raised place; prarūḍham — growing up; vaṭam — the banyan tree; ca — and; tat — of it; parṇa-puṭe — within the slight depression of the leaf; śayānam — lying; tokam — the child; ca — and; tat — for himself; prema — of love; sudhā — like nectar; smitena — with a smile; nirīkṣitaḥ — being looked upon; apāṅga — of the corner of His eyes; nirīkṣaṇena — by the glance; atha — then; tam — that; bālakam — infant; vīkṣya — looking upon; netrābhyām — by his eyes; dhiṣṭhitam — placed; hṛdi — within his heart; abhyayāt — ran forward; ati-saṅkliṣṭaḥ — greatly agitated; pariṣvaktum — to embrace; adhokṣajam — the transcendental Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
In that vast sea he again saw the banyan tree growing on the tiny island and the infant boy lying within the leaf. The child glanced at him from the corner of His eyes with a smile imbued with the nectar of love, and Mārkaṇḍeya took Him into his heart through his eyes. Greatly agitated, the sage ran to embrace the transcendental Personality of Godhead.
VERSE 12.9.33
tāvat sa bhagavān sākṣād
yogādhīśo guhā-śayaḥ
antardadha ṛṣeḥ sadyo
yathehānīśa-nirmitā
SYNONYMS
tāvat — just then; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sākṣāt — directly; yoga-adhīśaḥ — the supreme master of yoga; guhā-śayaḥ — who is hidden within the heart of all living beings; antardadhe — disappeared; ṛṣeḥ — in front of the sage; sadyaḥ — suddenly; yathā — in the same way as; īhā — the object of endeavor; anīśa — by an incompetent person; nirmitā — created.
TRANSLATION
At that moment the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original master of all mysticism and who is hidden within everyone’s heart, became invisible to the sage, just as the achievements of an incompetent person can suddenly vanish.
VERSE 12.9.34
tam anv atha vaṭo brahman
salilaṁ loka-samplavaḥ
tirodhāyi kṣaṇād asya
svāśrame pūrva-vat sthitaḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — Him; anu — following; atha — then; vaṭaḥ — the banyan tree; brahman — O brāhmaṇa, Śaunaka; salilam — the water; loka-samplavaḥ — the annihilation of the universe; tirodhāyi — they disappeared; kṣaṇāt — immediately; asya — in front of him; sva-āśrame — in his own hermitage; pūrva-vat — as previously; sthitaḥ — he was present.
TRANSLATION
After the Lord disappeared, O brāhmaṇa, the banyan tree, the great water and the dissolution of the universe all vanished as well, and in an instant Mārkaṇḍeya found himself back in his own hermitage, just as before.