Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.646

c8.646

4) Vision of Pralaya. On one evening at dusk Mārkaṇḍeya was sitting at Puṣpabhadrātīra when somewhere a wind began to blow. The wind increased in strength and the sky became covered with clouds. The place resounded with peals of thunder and soon it began to rain. Rains became heavy. Rivers became flooded and water-level in the oceans rose. Everything around was submerged in water and Mārkaṇḍeya alone stood there with his matted hair swinging in the wind. It was impossible to know the directions and Mārkaṇḍeya started walking. He fell into whirlpools but was the next instant thrown up on to the top of surging waves. Then he saw on the top of a high wave a banyan tree. On a branch on the north-east of the tree he saw an infant lying, devouring the darkness by its effulgence. He was attracted to the infant by its vital force and went inside the infant as it inhaled. Inside the belly of the kid Mārkaṇḍeya had a vision of the entire universe. He saw the sky, the horizon, the stars, the oceans, the mountains expanses of land, Suras, Asuras, forests and all that the universe contained in its proper set-up. He saw passing before his eyes the elements, the Yugas and the Manvantaras. After some time he was thrown out by an exhalation of the infant. He stood on the waters. The old banyan tree was still there. An infant was still lying on a leaf on that tree. Mārkaṇḍeya then knew it was Mahāviṣṇu. He rushed to embrace the child; but the child disappeared before he reached it. Mārkaṇḍeya praised Mahāviṣṇu.