Life
of Markendeya Maharishi
Mrukundu Maharishi married a
very pious satvic lady called “Marudhvathi” and started his life as a grihasta,
in an ashrama. He was a Maha Tapaswi who spent his time by doing daily karmas
and service to the Paramatma. His wife too, spent all her time in serving her
husband, participating in all his dharmic activities and lived as a shadow of
him. Inspite of life being carried on for a long time, she did not beget a
child. So, they were sad and kept on feeling this.
The Muni knew that if one
does not beget children in grihastashram, they will have no place in the higher
lokas, so he intensified his Vratas and daily Niyamas, but observed that these
also did not help.
He decided to pray to Lord
Eshwara and ask for a boon for begetting a child, he sat in Tapas. Lord Eshwara
was pleased by the Tapas of the Muni, appearing before him, told the Muni to
ask for a boon. The Muni replied – Oh Lord! I did not want anything. I am glad
to see that you have come here, but one in grihastashrama does not beget a
child, may or may not get Mukti, so kindly grant me a male child for this
purpose.
The Lord asked the Muni-Do you want a child who is without character
and with bad qualities, would live long as a chiranjeevi, or a child who is
full of good qualities and of great punya, but would live only for sixteen
years? Select any one.
The Muni replied- Of what
use is a child with bad qualities but with long life? It is neither useful to
him nor to his parents, whereas a child with good qualities, will bring fame to
the Vamsha. So even if he were to have a short life, it does not matter. Kindly
grant a son of that nature.
The Lord said- As you wish and He disappeared. The
Muni was very much pleased, time passed on and his wife showed signs of bearing
a child and the couple became very happy. He performed all the dharmic
requisites for the pregnant lady, regularly.
He satisfied all her wishes,
invited the Brahmins often for chanting of the mantras, and obtained blessings
from them. After the ninth month, on a sacred day, the Rishi patni gave birth
to a male child who looked as if it was an avatara of Lord Shiva, luminous,
shining and perfect in all aspects. The Muni invited Brahmins and conducted all
the necessary karmas in connection with the birth, gave all types of Dhanas, to
them. He named the child as Markendeya.
When Markendeya completed his 5th
year of age, the upa-nayana was performed and Mrukundu taught him all types of
veda shastras, tarka, vyakarana and all that has to be learnt by a Munikumara.
Markendeya grew into a
perfect Brahmachari radiating with Tejas. As days passed his father fell silent
with worry with the thought that Markendeya will become 16 in a few years, and
would leave his parents. At last he found a way to this. He called his son near
him and began to speak- “Oh son! Today I will give you some upadesha, do hear!
You are a child born out of grace of Lord Shiva and you have only 16 years of
life, that is in the coming two or three years. You should do atma sadhana
within this short span of life and for this, surrender to Parvathipathi and
pray to Him. And whenever you come across brahmanas, rishis, elders, you should
bow down to them fully with bhakthi, so that they will bless you saying
‘Dheerga Ayushman Bhava!’ (Long live). The words of such people will never
prove false. Moreover the brahmins and the rishis never speak untruth, who
knows by their blessings, your life span may increase”. He further told- Son, I
will give you upadesha of Mruthyunjaya Mantra, you should utter it daily
keeping Lord Shiva as your aradhya devatha. He initiated his son with the
mantra as prescribed in the Shastras.
Markendeya followed his
father’s instructions, proceeded towards the southern seas. There, in a quiet
and beautiful spot, he built an ashrama and installed a Shiva Linga. He used to
bring the bilva leaves and with shodashopachara, perform puja, thrice daily
with the japa pf mrthyunjaya mantra, used to perform severe Tapas. Days passed
on. He also did namaskara to the Brahmins and Rishis without fail and asked to
be blessed for long life. In this way, Markendeya, spent his last years of life
and there were only three days left, for the completion of his sixteenth year.
One
early morning when Markendeya commenced his puja to Lord Shiva, the Saptarishis
in a group, were passing in front of his ashram. At the sight of them,
Markendeya, jumped and ran towards them and did full sashtanga pranams to each
one of them.As
per his prayer, the Saptarishis, blessed him saying Dheergayushmanbhava. After
prostrating before all of them with great respect and devotion, with folded
hands, he stood before them.
Then,
Vashishta Maharishi, looked at the face of Markendeya and divined what was in
store, became stunned, went near Kashyapa Maharishi and said – this young
tapaswi is of alpa ayush and has only three days of life left over. We have all
blessed him with long life! No speech of ours has become false, so far. Now, a
time has come, when our speech will be proved false? By this, all the Rishis became thoughtful and
decided to approach Chaturmukha Brahma, who had written the fate of Markendeya.
So, along with Markendeya, they all left for Brahma Loka. They all told Lord
Brahma what had happened and asked for pariharas. He said – Respected Rishis,
do not become frightened, no speech of yours has proved false till now, in
future also it will not prove false, there is no reason to fear. This boy is
performing japa on Lord Shiva, who is his aradhya devatha, who will relieve him
of danger to life. The Saptarishis, satisfied with these words of Chaturmukha
Brahma, brought Markendeya back to Bhu-Loka and left him at his ashrama.
In
this way, three days passed on and the final day to leave his body arrived.
Very early in the morning itself, Markendeya completed his bath, japas, niyamas
and nityakarmas, he sat in front of the Shiva Linga. With a focussed mind, he
commenced the Shiva Puja and was completely absorbed in it. Soon, Yama came
there, seated on a buffalo and Markendeya saw him. Yama was looking very
fierceful with his eyes emanating fire, the big sharp hairs on his body were
capable of piercing the hearts of one, easily. Yama immediately threw his rope
(paasha) around the neck of Markendeya and then addressing Yama, Markendeya
told him- Oh! Yama Dharma Raja, now I am busy in puja of Lord Parameshwara,
before completion of it, I shall not move from this place, so please wait.
Then
Yama, with a smile, said- one should perform dharma karyas in young age itself
and become perfect. If one attempts to
do sadhana, in one’s last days, one cannot complete it. I am the one who keeps
Time, as soon as one’s lifetime is over. Let they be anyone- I will take them,
no one has the capacity to stop me, do not waste time talking unnecessarily, so
saying he pulled the pasha.
Markendeya
said- Oh! Yama Dharma Raja! I asked you to wait not for me, I have uttered it
only for your prosperity, I am in the puja of Lord Shankara and anyone who
obstructs the puja of Lord Shankara, whosoever it may be, he cannot escape
misery. A person like me need not tell you that a devotee of the Lord has no
fear of anyone. If you move me from this place, your prosperity and good is
going to be delayed.Yama,
hearing these words of the boy, became furious with anger. He started pulling
Markendeya by force of his rope. Then, Markendeya, immediately caught hold of
the Shiva Linga near him saying- Oh Lord Paripoorna Mruthyunjaya, Kalyanadeva,
the destructor of all fear, protect and pleaded with the Lord, repeating these
words. Immediately Lord Shiva came out of the Shiva Linga, roaring like a Lion
and fierceful sounds of Pralaya Kala and He kicked Yama be His foot and pushed
him aside. As soon as Yama looked at the Lord, shining with the fearful sight
of anger, he took to his heels, sat on his buffalo and left that place
immediately.
Later
Parameshwara after becoming peaceful, He took his devotee, lifted him up.
Markendeya started repeating the mantras, praising Him. Lord Shiva, full of
Grace and Bliss blessed Markendeya with a boon – You become a Chiranjeevi and
He disappeared. From that day onwards, Yama did not dare come near Markendeya.
As
told, Markendeya, spent his 16th year won over death itself, left
for darshan of his parents, who were in grief thinking that their son had left
this world. Markendeya did sashtang namaskara to both his parents. Is he really
our son? Is he not dead? Has he come in a real body? So saying, without
believing their eyes, passed their hands all over the body of Markendeya,
embraced him and started pouring love and affection on him and became extremely
happy,
Markendeya
told his parents what had all happened, the darshan of the saptarishis, Lord
Brahma and his blessings, how on the last day, Lord Shiva blessed him with
Chiranjeevathva. Mrukundu said- By you not only have we become prosperous, our
kula itself has become famous. Your mother who has given birth to you is a very
devoted woman. In future, you will perform difficult Tapas and call for
Nara-Narayana’s presence. By the grace of them, may you see the wonderful
leelas and mayajalas not ever seen by any one, Sri Hari’s Maha Pralaya, may be
seen by you in pratyaksha. You will obtain the title of ‘Maharishi’ in a very
superior place. So saying, the parents blessed Markendeya,
Then
Markendeya took the vow of performing difficult tapas, with shantha chitta,
with Jata, Danda, Kamandala, Yagnopaveetha, Krishnanjana, Akshaya, garland of
pearls and dharba. For his tapas, he chose a peaceful place in Himalayas, there
on a rock called ‘Chitra’, he established
his parna kuteera. Nearby was a river called Pushpabhadra, there he sat
in tapas. Near that punyabhoomi all round, lived Brahmins and there existed
many clean water ponds. The bumblebees drunk with nectar and the cuckoo birds,
sang filling the area with sweet music and the peacocks were dancing. A variety
of different birds, made pleasant sounds. In such beautiful panoramic,
peaceful and wonderful place,
Markendeya, established his ashrama.
For
a period of six manvantaras, he performed severe tapas, worshipping Lord Sriman
Narayana and by the power of Yoga, he had conquered the arishadvargas. The
seventh Manvantara- Vaivaswatha, also commenced. The tapas had reached its
zenith and was continuing, the flame of tapas touched Indraloka and Indra
thought this mahatma has undertaken this staunch tapas in order to conquer his
post and decided to disturb the tapas of Markendeya.
Indra
summoned the Gandharvas, Apsaras, Manmatha, Vasantha, Shulayanchala, Kama and
Madhu and told them all- You go down to Bhu Loka now itself and disturb the
tapas of Markendeya in Himalayas. To this, Manmatha, laughed out loudly saying-
what big work is this? The most attractive of apsaras- Punjikasthala started to
go, telling that if Manmatha is there to protect her, whomsoever it may be, she
will pierce his heart- she said with teasing laughter. All of them came down to
Bhuloka, to the Himalayas, selected their suitable places and began to commence
their assigned work.
Then,
Markendeya, had finished his evening bath, Sandhya and the homa karyas, his
body was shining like fire, seated in tapas. Then, Manmatha started blowing as
if to bring in the fire of Kama. Vasantha brought about the Chandrodaya, many
beautiful trees and plants sprang up, giving a very pleasant smell, all around.
Manmatha positioned himself behind a big tree opposite the Rishi, was ready to
shoot his five arrows towards the Rishi. The Gandharvas started singing,
playing musical instruments, Punjika, clad in a thin silk saree, and commenced
her dance, moving slowly. Marutha started blowing fast and her saree flew off
in the air, and at that time, Manmatha let go of his five arrows towards
Markendeya.
But
everything became a waste. The arrows fell down broken, and there was no one to
see the apsara, the gandharvas stopped their music and left the spot. Manmatha
and Punjika felt thoroughly ashamed, returned back to Indra. Markendeya as before
was absorbed in his tapas, seeing all this Nara Narayanas became pleased and
gave their darshan to Markendeya. Narayana was of blue colour and Nara was of
white in colour. They both had beautiful lotus like eyes, wearing robes made
out of plant fibre, having krishnanjana, wearing sacred dhungura with thridanda
kamandalas, on their chests was the yagnopaveetha, on their necks was seen a
garland of Padmakshi,
These
personalities who are respected by a host of Devathas, with their luminous
bodies and wonderful stature, those Rishis of the Bhagavathamsha, stood before
Markendeya. Markendeya opened his eyes slowly, saw them, got up immediately,
did sashtang namaskara and stood with folded hands. He became emotional, his
voice choked with feeling, he did not know what to speak. He only uttered ‘Namo
Namaha’ and was silent. Then, he greeted them with his hands outstretched,
offered them seats and washed their feet. He performed puja with flowers,
dhoopa and sandal paste. He commenced praising them with saying “Oh Deva of all
the Devas, four handed, being in form, destroyer of the wicked, please
bless”-likewise Markendeya prayed.
Then
Lord Sri Hari said- “Oh, famous among the Rishis, being in the Samadhi State
always, having controlled the indriyas completely, maintaining full devotion on
Me, performing the works prescribed in the Vedas, performing the Vratas, the
Yama Niyamas and attained Siddhies out of it, to see such a one and to give
boons, I have come. Ask the boons you wish”.
Markendeya
submitted- Oh Achyutha, Pundarika, is there anything more profitable and sacred
than your Darshan in this world? You have now bestowed on me that, now. I do
not want anything other than this. Brahma and Rudra see you only with a heart
and mind purified by Yoga, but I am seeing you in pratyaksha – what could be
more superior to this? Yet, I would like to see the ‘Maya’ of yours- as to how
from a Brahma to a germ, the Maya rules this world. Please grant me that said
Markendeya. “So be it” said the Nara Narayanas and disappeared from there.
Markendeya
spent his time thinking of witnessing the Bhagavat Maya, he began to see God in
the pancha mahabhootas, praying to God with his mind, used to sit like that for
days together!
Like
this, forgetting himself, keeping his mind steady on the lotus feet of Sri
Hari, Markendeya sat in tapas on the banks of Pushpabhadra river. Then, the
evening dawned, all of a sudden, whirlwinds started blowing, sky was filled
with dark clouds, thunder and lightning followed and the whole world got frightened.
Rain started pouring with thunder and with a width of the trunk of an elephant,
with great force. Soon, all sight was filled with water. It looked as if all
the seas and oceans had become one. And in this water, the entire earth started
floating and looked as though it would be drowned in the cosmic waters.
Markendeya
started shivering in fear as the waters came near him and he began to float
along with the water animals which began to bite him, everywhere there was fast
whirlwinds, by the turbulent ocean. Nowhere, nothing was seen. One could not
make out neither the earth, nor the sky, the directions, Then, Markendeya,
became Atma Swaroopa and was caught for lakhs of years, in this deluge of
water.
When
he was like this, one day he noticed a small island on which there was a small
banyan plant with many branches with flowers and fruit. Towards the ishanya
side, one branch had spread on its small leaf, Markendeya saw a small baby,
sleeping. The baby was shining so bright, as to drive away all darkness. It was
blue in colour like a lotus, with a neck like that of a conch, broad chested as
that of a champaka flower, beautiful in all respects, sweet curl of hair, lips
that of coral and that wonderful child was holding its leg by its two hands and
was sleeping while sucking the fore-toe of its foot.
In
such a fierceful sea, beholding such a virtuous child, wonderful, peacefully
sleeping, Markendeya was both astonished and felt happy and felt that all his
sufferings had borne fruit that day. He became ecstatic and not satisfied even
after seeing the baby for long, he came near the baby. At this very moment, as
the baby was inhaling, the Rishi, in the size of a small mosquito, went into
the nose of the baby and entered the heart of the baby.
There
also he saw the same deluge of water, the island and the baby sleeping peacefully.
Not only that, but the earth, sky, stars, mountains, seas, islands, people,
devas , asuras, rivers, nations, houses, cities, villages, rishi ashramas, all
varnashramas, time duration of the yugas, the saptha vasus necessary formlife –
all these he observed. Also, he saw the hills of the Himalayas, his own ashram
and himself seated in tapas, there.
The
baby exhaled the air out and with it came out the Rishi, who fell on the
Pralaya waters, looked at the baby who smiled at him. Markendeya with full of affection, rushed to
lift the baby, but it disappeared then and there. Soon Maha Pralaya, also disappeared.
The Rishi who sat as before in Samadhi at his ashrama, woke up and looked all
around. Then, he realized that Sriman Narayana, had shown him his Mahamaya and
with great devotion began praising Sriman Narayana with many stotras, Sri Hari,
Oh saviour of all of us, you are the only one who can help us from coming out
of this fierceful ocean of life – so praying, he again entered into Samadhi
state.
Then
Parameshwara, along with His consort, Parvathi Devi, mounted on a Bull,
followed by the Ganas, was passing overhead in the sky. Parvathi, referring to
Markendeya, told Shiva – “In this Bhu-Loka, this Brahmin having attained siddhi
and in Samadhi, how is he seated, just look at him. I want to shower my grace
on him and then proceed”.
Shiva
replied- “Alright, but he has not desired for our darshan or anugraha, he has
not desired Mukti and has surrendered himself to the lotus feet of Sri Hari and
such a person, what will he require of us?”. However, Parvathi Devi insisted on
visiting Markendeya and soon they both stood in front of him. But Markendeya
had forgotten himself, lost in his Samadhi, did not recognise the Divine Couple
in front of him. Finally, Lord Eshwara entered his nose in vayu roopa and
entered his heart.
There,
the Rishi, noticed a very bright light and was astonished. He opened his eyes
and noticed the glorious sight of Lord Eshwara and Devi Parvathi together. Lord
Eshwara was in divya roopa, blue in colour, with jata and joota, with
thrinethra, ten handed, with a body shining like that of a Sun, with tiger skin
over his waist and He held in his ten hands the different weapons like the
Shoola, Bow, Arrow, Thrishoola, Sword, etc.
With
great devotion, Markendeya, commenced the worship of the Lord Eshwara and Devi
Parvathi – with the giving of asana, arka, padhya, madhuparka, pushpa, gandha,
dhoopa, dheepa and with folded hands said – “Oh Prabhu, Ananda Swaroopa, One
who showers good for all the Lokas, in what way can I serve you and satisfy
you? I can only offer my namaskaras, so kindly be pleased with it” – so saying
the Rishi pleaded before the Lord, Oh God grace me with permanent and
everlasting bhakti on the Paramatma and His bhaktas.
The
Lord was pleased and said – “So be it” and further added that –“Your fame will
be there till the end of the kalpas; henceforth you shall become a Trikala
Jnani, let you get Atma Paramatma Vivechana Jnana and become a Vairagi”.
The
End.
Om Shree Markendeya Maharishiye Namaha
