Markandeyapurana 58
English (machine translation) 58
- Language
- English
Contents
- 58.81 — 2 parts
58.1
Krauṣṭuki said: / O venerable one, Bhārata has been fully related to me by you— / its rivers, mountains, and the countries that dwell therein.
58.2
Yet the venerable Hari was earlier spoken of by you as a tortoise in Bhārata; / I wish to hear of his configuration without omission.
58.3
How is that god situated, Janārdana in the form of a tortoise? / And how are the good and bad fortune of human beings revealed from him? / Tell that completely according to his face and according to his feet.
58.4
Mārkaṇḍeya said: / The venerable god is situated facing east, in the form of a tortoise, / bestriding this realm of Bhārata with its nine divisions, O twice-born.
58.5
His lunar asterisms are arranged ninefold all around, / as well as the provinces, O best of the twice-born; learn them properly from me.
58.6
The Vedamantras, Vimāṇḍavyas, Śālvas, Nīpas, and Śakas, / the Ujjihānas, my child, the Ghoṣasaṃkhyas, and Khasas;
58.7
in the center, the Sārasvatas, Matsyas, Śūrasenas, Māthuras, / Dharmāraṇyas, Jyotiṣikas, Gauragrīvas, Guḍāśmakas;
58.8
the Kālakoṭis with the Pāṣaṇḍas, the dwellers of Pāriyātra, / the Kāpiṅgalas, the outer Kurus, and the Uḍumbara people;
58.9
the Vaidehakas along with the Pāñcālas, Saṃketas, Kaṅkamārutas, / and Gajāhvayas dwell in the center of the waters of the tortoise.
58.10
Kṛttikā, Rohiṇī, and Saumyā are the three lunar asterisms / for these dwellers in the center, O brahmin, bestowing the fruit of good and evil.
58.11
Vṛṣadhvaja, Añjana, and the Mānavācala named Jambū, / Śūrpakarṇa, Vyāghramukha, Kharmaka, Karvaṭāśana;
58.12
likewise the Candreśvaras, Khaśas, and Magadhas, / the Maithila mountains, the Śubhras, and the Vadanadanturas;
58.13
the Prāgjyotiṣas with the Lauhityas, Sāmudras, Puruṣādakas, / Pūrṇotkaṭa, Bhadragaura, and the mountain Udayagiri, O twice-born;
58.14
the Kaśāyas, Mekhalāmuṣṭas, Tāmraliptas, Ekapādapas, / Vardhamānas, and Kośalas are situated on the face of the tortoise.
58.15
Raudra, Punarvasu, and Puṣya are the trio of asterisms on his face; / now hear as I tell of the countries on his right foot, O Krauṣṭuki:
58.16
the Kaliṅgas, Vaṅgas, Jaṭharas, Kośalas, and Mūṣikas, / the Cedis, Ūrdhvakarṇas, Matsyas, and other dwellers of the Vindhya;
58.17
the Vidarbhas, Nārikelas, Dharmadvīpas, and Ailikas, / the Vyāghragrīvas, Mahāgrīvas, Traipuras, Śmaśrudhārins;
58.18
the Kaiṣkindhyas, Haimakūṭas, Niṣadhas, Kaṭakasthalas, / Daśārṇāhārikas, Nagnas, Niṣādas, Kākulālakas;
58.19
likewise the Parṇaśabaras on the south-eastern foot; / and the asterism Āśleṣā, the Pitṛ-asterism, and the first of the Phālgunīs.
58.20
This triad of asterisms resides in the southeastern foot:
Laṅkā, the Kālājinas, the Śailikas, and the Nikaṭas;
58.21
and those who live on Mount Mahendra, Mount Malaya, and Mount Durdura;
and those who are in the Karkoṭaka forest, the Bhṛgukacchas, along with the Koṅkaṇas;
58.22
and likewise all the Ābhīras who dwell on the banks of the Veṇyā;
the Avantis, the Dāsapuras, and likewise the Akaṇi people;
58.23
the Mahārāṣṭras along with the Karṇāṭas, the Gonardas, the Citrakūṭakas,
the Colas, the Kolagiras, and the Krauñcadvīpajaṭādharas;
58.24
those residing by the Kāverī and on Ṛṣyamūka, and the people of Nāsik;
and those who wander about the edges of the mountains yielding conches, pearls, and cat's-eyes;
58.25
likewise the aquatic Kolas, the dwellers of Carmapaṭṭana,
those outside tribal order, the other dark-skinned folk who dwell on the islands;
58.26
and those people who dwell on Mount Sūrya and Mount Kumuda;
the Aukhāvanas, along with the Piśikas, and those who are Karmanāyakas;
58.27
the Takṣiṇas, the Kauruṣas, the Ṛṣikas, the hermitages of ascetics,
the Ṛṣabhas, the Sihalas, and the dwellers of Kāñcī;
58.28
the Tilaṅgas, and the people dwelling in the gorges and ravines of Mount Kuñjara;
and the Tāmraparṇas. Such is the southern flank of the Tortoise.
58.29
Uttaraphālgunī, Hastā, and Citrā are the triad of asterisms, O twice-born one,
in the southern flank of the Tortoise; and the outer foot is the western one.
58.30
The Kāmbojas and the Pahlavas, and likewise the Vaḍavāmukhas,
and the Sindhu-Sauvīras, the Ānartas, and the Vanitāmukhas;
58.31
the Drāvaṇas, the Mārgikas, the Śūdras, the Karṇaprādheyas, the Varvaras,
the Kirātas, the Pāradas, the Pāṇḍyas, and likewise the Pāraśavas, the Kalas;
58.32
the Dhūrtakas, the inhabitants of the snowy mountains, the Sindhukālakavairatas,
the Saurāṣṭras, the Daradas, the Drāviḍas, and the Mahārṇavas—
58.33
these realms are situated in the southwestern foot.
And Svātī, Viśākhā, and Maitra [Anurādhā] are the triad of asterisms [there].
58.34
Maṇimegha, Mount Kṣura, Khañjana, and Mount Asta,
the Aparāntikas, the Haihayas, the Śāntikas, and the Vipraśastakas;
58.35
the Kauṅkaṇas, the Pañcanadakas, the Vāmanas, and the Avaras,
the Tārakṣuras, the Aṅgatakas, the Karkaras, the Śālmaveśmakas;
58.36
the Gurusviras, the Phalguṇakas, and the people on the Veṇumatī,
likewise the Phalgulukas, the Ghoras, the Guruhas, and the Kalas;
58.37
the Ekekṣaṇas, the Vājikeśas, the Dīrghagrīvas, along with the Cūlikas,
and the Aśvakeśas are situated in the tail of the Tortoise.
58.38
Aindra [Jyeṣṭhā], Mūla, and the two Āṣāḍhās are the three asterisms [there].
The Māṇḍavyas, the Caṇḍakhāras, the Aśvakālanatas;
58.39
the Kunyatas, the Laḍahas, the Strībāhyas, and the Bālikras,
the Nṛsiṃhas, those on the Veṇumatī, and others stationed in Balāvasthā;
58.40
the Dharmabaddhas, the Alūkas, and the people stationed in Urukarma—
these people are situated on the left foot, on the flank of the Tortoise, O Bhāguri!
58.41
Where [Uttarā]ṣāḍhā, Śravaṇā, and Dhaniṣṭhā are located:
Mount Kailāsa, the Himavat, Mount Dhanuṣmat, and Mount Vasumat;
58.42
the Krauñcas, the Kuruvakas, and the Kṣudravīṇa people,
the Rasālayas, along with the Kaikeyas, the Bhogaprasthas, along with the Yāmunas;
58.43
the Antardvīpas, the Trigartas, the Agnijyas, the Sārdana people,
and likewise the Aśvamukhas who have arrived, the Civiḍas, the long-haired ones;
58.44
the Dāserakas, the Vāṭadhānas, and likewise the Śavadhānas,
the Puṣkalas, the low-caste Kirātas, and those who dwell in Takṣaśilā;
58.45
the Ambālas, the Mālavas, the Madras, the Veṇukas along with the Vadantikas,
the Piṅgalas, the Mānakalahas, the Hūṇas, and the Kohalakas;
58.46
the Māṇḍavyas, the Bhūtiyuvakas, the Śātakas, the Hematārakas,
those of Yaśomatī, along with the Gāndhāras, and the hordes of the salt ocean;
58.47
the Yaudheyas, the Dāsameyas, the Rājanyas, and the Śyāmakas,
and the Kṣemadhūrtas reside on the left flank of the Tortoise.
58.48
And the Vāruṇa asterism [Śatabhiṣaj] and the two Prauṣṭhapadās are here,
whereby the kingdom of the Kinnaras, Paśupāla, along with Kīcaka;
58.49
the realm of Kāśmīra, and the Abhisāra people,
the Davadas, the Aṅganas, the Kulaṭas, the Vanarāṣṭrakas;
58.50
the Sairiṣṭhas, the Brahmapurakas, and likewise the Vanavāhyakas,
the Kirātas, the Kauśikas, the Nandas, the Pahlavas, and the Lolanas;
58.51
the Dārvādas, the Marakas, the Kuraṭas, the Annadārakas,
the Ekapādas, the Khaśas, the Ghoṣas, the Svargabhaumas, the Anavadyakas;
58.52
and the Hiṅgas along with the Yavanas, and those who wear bark garments,
the Trinetras, the Pauravas, and the Gandharvas, O best of the twice-born!
58.53
These dwell in the northeastern foot of the Tortoise.
Revatī, Aśvinī, and the Yama-deity asterism [Bharaṇī]—this triad of asterisms
58.54
is declared to bring about the ripening of results in that foot, O best of sages;
and these asterisms also govern these regions, O twice-born one.
58.55
When these [asterisms] suffer affliction, those regions mentioned in order are afflicted;
and they attain prosperity, O brahmin, when the planets are favorably placed.
58.56
Whichever planet is the lord of an asterism, if it is afflicted, there is danger
for that region, O best of sages; when it prospers, good fortune ensues.
58.57
Arising from asterisms and planets, whether collective danger or collective good fortune
comes to pass for humanity in each country, O best of the twice-born.
58.58
Through one's own unfavorable asterisms, the collective [harm] brings danger to a creature;
and from the affliction caused by planets, minor and unfruitful hardship arises.
58.59
Likewise, an auspicious fruition [is curtailed] by unfavorably placed planets,
bringing little benefit to men, through their own [actions], as understood by the wise who know the lands.
58.60
When a planet is badly placed, danger arises for virtuous men
with respect to property, the cattle-pen, servants, friends, sons, or wife;
58.61
it falls upon the person himself for those of little merit, and everywhere for the utterly wicked;
but for the sinless, there is never danger anywhere at all.
58.62
Arising from one's quarter, region, and people, or shared with the king, or born of oneself,
a man experiences good and bad fortune common to the asterisms and planets.
58.63
Mutual protection arises through the ill-placement of a planet;
and from these very factors, O best of brahmins, loss of good occurs due to inauspicious [influences].
58.64
This arrangement of the Tortoise that I have declared in relation to the asterisms—
this is the shared good and bad fortune of regions.
58.65
Therefore, having understood the asterism of one's region and one's own planetary affliction,
a wise man should perform appeasement rites and traditional folk customs, O best of men.
58.66
The desires of gods and Daityas fall from the sky
upon the earth among the people; they are known as folk customs.
58.67
The wise man should perform them accordingly and not neglect traditional customs;
by carrying them out, an end to the arrival of evil is achieved for men.
58.68
They bring about the rising of good fortune and the destruction of sins, O best of brahmins; / they [can also] cause the loss of wisdom, and they affect possessions and other things.
58.69
Therefore, a wise man should be dedicated to appeasement rituals and devoted to popular prayers; / during afflictions caused by planets, he should perform both popular prayers and appeasement rites.
58.70
Harmlessness and fasts are commended, as well as paying homage to caityas and the like, / recitation of mantras, fire offerings, charity, bathing, and the renunciation of anger and other vices.
58.71
The wise man should maintain harmlessness toward all beings and practice friendliness; / he should avoid untruthful speech and excessive, offensive talk.
58.72
A person should perform the worship of the planets during all afflictions; / thus all terrible calamities are appeased, O best of brahmins,
58.73
arising entirely from planets and asterisms, for restrained men. / This lord, the all-pervading Tortoise, has been described by me in Bhārata.
58.74
He is Nārāyaṇa indeed, of inconceivable nature, in whom everything is established; / therein all the gods are stationed, taking resort in their respective asterisms.
58.75
Likewise, Fire, Earth, and Soma are in the middle, O twice-born; / the three [signs] beginning with Meṣa are in the center, and the two beginning with Mithuna are in the mouth.
58.76
Karka and Siṃha are situated in the southeast foot; / Siṃha, Kanyā, and Tulā—the triad of signs—is situated in the flank.
58.77
Both Tulā and Vṛścika are in the southwest foot; / and on the back, Dhanus is situated together with Vṛścika.
58.78
In his northwest foot is the triad beginning with Dhanus; / Kumbha and Mīna reside in his northern flank.
58.79
Mīna and Meṣa, O best of brahmins, are situated in the northeast foot. / Thus the regions and asterisms are in the Tortoise, and in these regions, O twice-born,
58.80
the zodiacal signs reside in the asterisms, and the planetary signs reside therein. / Therefore, from afflictions to the planets and asterisms, one should predict affliction to the region.
58.81
There, having bathed, one should perform the rites of charity, fire-offering, and the like. / This foot belonging to Viṣṇu is Brahmā who is in the center of the planet[ary arrangement], / named Nārāyaṇa, of inconceivable nature, the Lord, the cause of the universe.
58.81.p1
Thus ends the fifty-eighth chapter in the glorious Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, named “The Arrangement of the Tortoise.”
58.81.p2
Fifty-ninth chapter - 59
Translations (1)
- The Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa — Frederick Eden Pargiter 1888, English
Linked texts (1)
- Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit