[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Purāṇas](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana) › [Skandapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt) › 14.41 # Skandapurana 14.41 English (machine translation) 14.41 - **Language:** English ### [14.41.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.1) Pulastya said: / Then, O best of kings, one should go to the hermitage of Mārkaṇḍeya, / where formerly austerity was performed by the great-souled Mārkaṇḍa. 1 ### [14.41.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.2) Anciently there was a brahmin named Mṛkaṇḍu who strictly observed his vows. / At an advanced age, a very handsome son was born to him, 2 ### [14.41.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.3) endowed with all auspicious marks, tranquil, possessing the radiance of the sun. / Then, after some time, O king, at the precinct of his hermitage 3 ### [14.41.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.4) came a wise, auspicious brahmin who knew the signs of the body. / Then, as that five-year-old boy was playing, 4 ### [14.41.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.5) he gazed at him for a long time from the tip of his nose to the crest of his hair. / Then suddenly he laughed; and Mṛkaṇḍu noticed him. 5 ### [14.41.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.6) Then \[Mṛkaṇḍu\] said: 'You looked at my son for a long time, O twice-born, / and then you laughed. Tell \[me\], what is the reason for this?' 6 ### [14.41.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.7) When questioned repeatedly by Mṛkaṇḍu, that best of the twice-born, / yielding to importunity, disclosed the truth to him: 7 ### [14.41.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.8) 'The marks that exist on the body of this boy, O best of the twice-born— / by those a person would indeed become ageless and immortal. 8 ### [14.41.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.9) \[Yet\] within six months, death will certainly come to this boy. / For this reason laughter was made by me, O best of the twice-born. / An untruth has never been spoken by me before, even to enemies.' 9 ### [14.41.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.10) Pulastya said: / Having spoken thus, that wise man, after dwelling there for the night / and being given leave by Mṛkaṇḍu, departed to his desired region. 10 ### [14.41.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.11) Mṛkaṇḍu, too, having learned that his son had a short lifespan, O king, / though he was only five years old, afflicted with grief, invested him with the sacred thread. 11 ### [14.41.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.12) \[He said:\] 'Endowed with the study of the scriptures, whomever you see before you, / to him an obeisance must be made constantly by you, my son.' 12 ### [14.41.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.13) Then the student of the Veda carried out the command of his father with special care. 13 ### [14.41.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.14) Whomever he sees with his eyes—a child, an old man, or a youth— / to every such brahmin he bows down, endowed with modesty. 14 ### [14.41.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.15) Then, after some time, in the vicinity of his hermitage / arrived the seven seers, intent on a pilgrimage to sacred fords. 15 ### [14.41.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.16) Then, having approached quickly, O ruler of the earth, the boy, endowed with humility, / bowed to all of them in due order. 16 ### [14.41.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.17) 'May you be long-lived,' said those \[seers\] who were pleased with him to the boy; / and having dismissed that boy, they set off to their desired region. 17 ### [14.41.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.18) Among them was one named Aṅgiras, endowed with divine knowledge. / By him the boy was examined with subtle insight, O scorcher of foes. 18 ### [14.41.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.19) Then, somewhat amazed, he spoke to all those sages: / 'This boy whom you have pronounced long-lived is not long-lived. 19 ### [14.41.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.20) This young boy will go to destruction on the fifth day. / Therefore, our words should not be untruthful, O best of the twice-born. 20 ### [14.41.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.21) A plan should be devised so that he may live long.' / Then those sages, afraid of an untrue word, O ruler of the earth, 21 ### [14.41.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.22) taking that boy, went then to the world of Brahmā. / Having seen the four-faced one there, the lords of sages bowed down. 22 ### [14.41.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.23) Immediately after them, the boy made his obeisance to him. / To him also Brahmā said, 'May you be long-lived, O boy.' 23 ### [14.41.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.24) Then the seven seers rejoiced in their hearts, O best of kings; / \[and Brahmā\] spoke to those eminent sages who were seated comfortably and rested: 24 ### [14.41.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.25) Brahmā said: / 'Ask; what is to be done? Whence have you come here?' 25 ### [14.41.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.26) The seers said: / 'Wandering over the surface of the earth in the course of a pilgrimage to sacred fords, / we went to the sacred fords on the mountain named Arbuda. 26 ### [14.41.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.27) Then this boy, coming swiftly from afar, bowed to us. / "May you be long-lived" was thereupon pronounced to him by many. / Yet on the fifth day his death will occur, O god. 27 ### [14.41.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.28) Devise something, O god, so that we, together with you, / do not become untruthful on his account, O four-faced one.' 28 ### [14.41.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.29) Then Brahmā, his soul delighted upon seeing that sage's boy, / said: 'By my grace this boy shall live for an eon.' 29 ### [14.41.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.30) Then those sages, delighted, taking him, set out towards home / from the world of Brahmā, having bowed down to the four-faced one. 30 ### [14.41.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.31) Then his father, Mṛkaṇḍu, the best of sages, together with his wife, wailed in great sorrow: ### [14.41.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.32) Weeping piteously, 'Alas, my son, my son!' the lover of righteousness \[cried\]: 'Without taking leave of me, why have you set out on the long road? ### [14.41.33](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.33) Without even performing the rites that ought to be done, how have you fallen into the power of Death? Without you, my son, I cannot live in any way.' ### [14.41.34](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.34) As he was wailing thus in manifold ways, O best of kings, the boy returned to the place where he had stayed before. ### [14.41.35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.35) Then that boy walked on with an inner self filled with delight; and his father, seeing him on the path, became exceedingly joyful. ### [14.41.36](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.36) Lifting him onto his lap, he asked the reason for his long absence. Thereupon he related all the actions of the sages, / the sight of Brahmaloka, and the boon granted by the Lotus-born \[Brahmā\]. ### [14.41.37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.37) The boy said: / 'Father, I have been made free from old age and death by the Self-manifest \[Brahmā\]; therefore, truly on my account, let this fever of your mind depart. ### [14.41.38](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.38) I shall likewise worship the Four-faced \[Brahmā\], having established a delightful hermitage on Arbuda, the best of mountains.' ### [14.41.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.39) Hearing that speech of his son dripping with nectar, that twice-born Mṛkaṇḍu, filled with joy, spoke these words to him: ### [14.41.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.40) Mārkaṇḍa too, having gone swiftly to delightful Mount Arbuda, performed vast austerity, meditating upon the god, the Grandfather \[Brahmā\]. ### [14.41.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.41) In his holy hermitage, O king, in the month of Śrāvaṇa, whoever offers water to the ancestors especially on the full moon day / obtains the entire fruit of an ancestral sacrifice, without a doubt. ### [14.41.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.42) Whoever propitiates excellent brahmins there through the sage-conjunction, O king, attains a long residence in Brahmaloka. ### [14.41.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.43) Whoever performs ritual ablution there, endowed with full faith, no fear of untimely death arises anywhere in his lineage. ### [14.41.43\_1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41.43_1) Thus ends the forty-first chapter, entitled 'Description of the Origin of the Hermitage of Mārkaṇḍeya,' in the Arbuda Section, the third \[part\] of the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a compendium of eighty-one thousand \[verses\]. ## Linked texts (1) - [Skandapurāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda.14.41.1) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.purana.skanda~en-mt.14.41) · Pramāṇa