Critical Edition
मार्कण्डेय उवाच गुरू निवेद्य विप्राय तौ मातापितरावुभौ पुनरेव स धर्मात्मा व्याधो ब्राह्मणमब्रवीत्
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : Having introduced both of his parents to that Brahmanas as his highest Gurus that virtuousminded fowler again thus spoke to the Brahmana.
प्रवृत्तचक्षुर्जातोऽस्मि संपश्य तपसो बलम् यदर्थमुक्तोऽसि तया गच्छस्व मिथिलामिति
AI Translation: I have opened my eyes and am born. Behold the power of my austerities. For what purpose were you told by her to go to Mithila?
पतिशुश्रूषपरया दान्तया सत्यशीलया मिथिलायां वसन्व्याधः स ते धर्मान्प्रवक्ष्यति
AI Translation: By serving her husband, by being self-controlled, by being truthful and virtuous, The hunter who lives in Mithila will explain those virtues to you.
ब्राह्मण उवाच पतिव्रतायाः सत्यायाः शीलाढ्याया यतव्रत संस्मृत्य वाक्यं धर्मज्ञ गुणवानसि मे मतः
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: O virtuous and vow-observing man, thinking of what that truthful, well-behaved and chaste lady told me, I am of opinion, that you really possess very high qualities.
व्याध उवाच यत्तदा त्वं द्विजश्रेष्ठ तयोक्तो मां प्रति प्रभो दृष्टमेतत्तया सम्यगेकपत्न्या न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: The Fowler said: O foremost of Brahmanas, O Lord, what that chaste lady told you about me, was certainly said with full knowledge of the facts.
त्वदनुग्रहबुद्ध्या तु विप्रैतद्दर्शितं मया वाक्यं च शृणु मे तात यत्ते वक्ष्ये हितं द्विज
M. N. Dutt: O sire, I have explained to you all this as a matter of favour. O Brahmana, hear what will be good for you.
त्वया विनिकृता माता पिता च द्विजसत्तम अनिसृष्टोऽसि निष्क्रान्तो गृहात्ताभ्यामनिन्दित वेदोच्चारणकार्यार्थमयुक्तं तत्त्वया कृतम्
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of Brahmanas, O faultless one, you have wronged your father and mother, for you have left home for learning the Vedas without their permission.
तव शोकेन वृद्धौ तावन्धौ जातौ तपस्विनौ तौ प्रसादयितुं गच्छ मा त्वा धर्मोऽत्यगान्महान्
AI Translation: Your parents, who were blind, have grown old in grief for you. Go to propitiate them, lest the great law of filial piety be violated.
तपस्वी त्वं महात्मा च धर्मे च निरतः सदा सर्वमेतदपार्थं ते क्षिप्रं तौ संप्रसादय
AI Translation: You are an ascetic, a great soul, always devoted to virtue. All this is futile for you. Quickly reconcile the two.
Supplementary Passages:
3.205.9 After 9, S (except G3; T2 om.) ins.: *1042 तौ प्रसाद्य द्विजश्रेष्ठ यच्छ्रेयस्तदवाप्स्यसि
श्रद्दधस्व मम ब्रह्मन्नान्यथा कर्तुमर्हसि गम्यतामद्य विप्रर्षे श्रेयस्ते कथयाम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: But all has become in vain, therefore soon go back to console your parents. Have regard for my words and do not act in any other way. I tell you what is good for you, O Brahmana return even today.
ब्राह्मण उवाच यदेतदुक्तं भवता सर्वं सत्यमसंशयम् प्रीतोऽस्मि तव धर्मज्ञ साध्वाचार गुणान्वित
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: man of virtuous practices, what you have said is certainly true. Be blessed, I am much pleased with you.
व्याध उवाच दैवतप्रतिमो हि त्वं यस्त्वं धर्ममनुव्रतः पुराणं शाश्वतं दिव्यं दुष्प्रापमकृतात्मभिः
AI Translation: The hunter said: You are like a deity, since you are devoted to Dharma. The ancient, eternal, divine, difficult to attain by those who are not self-controlled,
Supplementary Passages:
3.205.12 After 12, K2 B D (except D1-3.5) S ins.: *1043 मातापित्रोः सकाशं हि गत्वा त्वं द्विजसत्तम
अतन्द्रितः कुरु क्षिप्रं मातापित्रोर्हि पूजनम् अतः परमहं धर्मं नान्यं पश्यामि कंचन
AI Translation: Therefore, be diligent and quickly worship your parents. Therefore, I do not see any other dharma.
ब्राह्मण उवाच इहाहमागतो दिष्ट्या दिष्ट्या मे संगतं त्वया ईदृशा दुर्लभा लोके नरा धर्मप्रदर्शकाः
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana said: By good luck, I have come here and by good luck I have met with you. Such expounders of religion are difficult to get in this world.
एको नरसहस्रेषु धर्मविद्विद्यते न वा प्रीतोऽस्मि तव सत्येन भद्रं ते पुरुषोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: There is hardly one man amongst one thousand, who is leaned in the mysteries of religion. O foremost of men, I am highly pleased with you. Let prosperity and good fortune be yours.
पतमानो हि नरके भवतास्मि समुद्धृतः भवितव्यमथैवं च यद्दृष्टोऽसि मयानघ
M. N. Dutt: O sinless one, I was at the point of falling into hell, but I have been saved by you. It was ordained and therefore I did meet you.
राजा ययातिर्दौहित्रैः पतितस्तारितो यथा सद्भिः पुरुषशार्दूल तथाहं भवता त्विह
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of men, as the fallen king Yayati was saved by his virtuous grandson, so have I now been saved by you.
मातापितृभ्यां शुश्रूषां करिष्ये वचनात्तव नाकृतात्मा वेदयति धर्माधर्मविनिश्चयम्
M. N. Dutt: I shall serve my father and mother at your command. No vicious-minded man can ever expound the mysteries of virtue and vice.
दुर्ज्ञेयः शाश्वतो धर्मः शूद्रयोनौ हि वर्तता न त्वां शूद्रमहं मन्ये भवितव्यं हि कारणम् येन कर्मविपाकेन प्राप्तेयं शूद्रता त्वया
M. N. Dutt: As it is very difficult for a Shudra to learn the mysteries of eternal religion. I do not consider you to be a Shudra. There must be some reason for all this.
एतदिच्छामि विज्ञातुं तत्त्वेन हि महामते कामया ब्रूहि मे तथ्यं सर्वं त्वं प्रयतात्मवान्
M. N. Dutt: You must have been born as a Shudra as a result of your past Karma (in a previous birth). O high-souled one, I eagerly desire to learn truth of this matter. Tell this to me with attention and according to your inclination.
व्याध उवाच अनतिक्रमणीया हि ब्राह्मणा वै द्विजोत्तम शृणु सर्वमिदं वृत्तं पूर्वदेहे ममानघ
M. N. Dutt: The Fowler said: O foremost of the Brahmanas, O sinless one, Brahmanas are worthy of all respect from me, hear about the story of my previous existence.
अहं हि ब्राह्मणः पूर्वमासं द्विजवरात्मज वेदाध्यायी सुकुशलो वेदाङ्गानां च पारगः आत्मदोषकृतैर्ब्रह्मन्नवस्थां प्राप्तवानिमाम्
M. N. Dutt: O son of the best of Brahmanas, I was a Brahmana previously (in my another birth); I was well-read in the Vedas and earned in the Vedangas.
कश्चिद्राजा मम सखा धनुर्वेदपरायणः संसर्गाद्धनुषि श्रेष्ठस्ततोऽहमभवं द्विज
AI Translation: One king, my friend, was devoted to the science of archery. By association with him, I became the best in archery.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु मृगयां निर्गतो नृपः सहितो योधमुख्यैश्च मन्त्रिभिश्च सुसंवृतः ततोऽभ्यहन्मृगांस्तत्र सुबहूनाश्रमं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Surrounded by his ministers and followed by his best warriors. He killed many deer near a hermitage.
अथ क्षिप्तः शरो घोरो मयापि द्विजसत्तम ताडितश्च मुनिस्तेन शरेणानतपर्वणा
M. N. Dutt: O foremost of Brahmanas, I too shot a swift and fearful arrow. A Rishi was wounded by that arrow with head bent.
Supplementary Passages:
3.205.25 After 25ab, D3 (marg. sec. m.) ins.: *1044 ततो मृगान्वराहांश्च महिषांश्च महीपतिः जघान पुरुषव्याघ्रः स राजा ब्राह्मणोत्तम ततोऽहमपि क्रीडार्थं राज्ञः प्रियहिते रतः वरान्निघ्नन्वराहांश्च शरैः संनतपर्वभिः वनदुर्गेषु धर्मज्ञ समं राज्ञा महात्मना व्यचरं धनुरादाय मृगहा लुब्धको यथा तत्राश्रमसमभ्याशे मया धर्मविदां वर मृगस्य वज्रसंकाशः शरः क्षिप्तस्तदा द्विज
भूमौ निपतितो ब्रह्मन्नुवाच प्रतिनादयन् नापराध्याम्यहं किंचित्केन पापमिदं कृतम्
M. N. Dutt: The Brahmana fell down on the ground and screaming aloud said "I have done no wrong, what wretch has done this?
मन्वानस्तं मृगं चाहं संप्राप्तः सहसा मुनिम् अपश्यं तमृषिं विद्धं शरेणानतपर्वणा तमुग्रतपसं विप्रं निष्टनन्तं महीतले
M. N. Dutt: O lord, taking him for a deer I soon went near him and saw that Rishi pierced by my that arrow with head bent.
अकार्यकरणाच्चापि भृशं मे व्यथितं मनः अजानता कृतमिदं मयेत्यथ तमब्रुवम् क्षन्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मन्निति चोक्तो मया मुनिः
M. N. Dutt: For my wicked deed I was very much aggrieved in my mind. I said to that Rishi of severe austerities who was loudly crying lying on the ground, “I have unconsciously done this." I again said to that Rishi “you should pardon ine for this sinful act.”
ततः प्रत्यब्रवीद्वाक्यमृषिर्मां क्रोधमूर्छितः व्याधस्त्वं भविता क्रूर शूद्रयोनाविति द्विज
M. N. Dutt: But the Brahmana, becoming exceedingly angry said, “You shall be born as a cruel fowler in the Shudra order."