Sant Markandeya Rishi
Sant Markandeya Rishi
What is Markandey Puran & Who is Writer of It?
Markandeya Purana is a Sanskrit text of Hinduism named after Sage Markandeya. This is one of the oldest Purana which contains 137 chapters on Dharma-Karma, Samsara, and Śrāddha. Markandeya Purana has 9000 verses presenting a diverse range of topics including mythology, religion, society, etc. It is believed that the earliest version of Markandeya Purana was composed by sage Markandeya near river Narmada which describes a lot about Vindhya Range and western India. Markandeya Purana is particularly popular in the eastern part of India such as Orissa and West Bengal.
A legendary belief is that the author of Markandeya Purana is Brahma itself since it has come from Lord Brahma’s mouth. Markandeya Rishi hails from Hindu tradition who was born in the clan of Rishi Bhrigu. Sage Markandeya gained accomplishments by performing forceful religious practice (hath yoga) and worshipped till Brahm-Kaal. While meditating his concentration used to reach to Brahmlok (also called Mahaswarg). Markandeya Rishi used to consider his worship to be superior but the fact remained he did not get relief from Kaal’s web.
Moving on, let us try to understand basis true stories what is Kaal’s trap and how innocent souls remain in the devil’s trap. Once upon a time Rishi Markandeya considering God to be formless was performing tenacity of Brahm-Kaal for a very long time in the Bay of Bengal. The soul enthroned as Lord Indra in heaven always has a fear that during his tenure of 72 chaturyuga if any human being (seeker) on the earth performs austerity and gains religious achievements without having any disturbance in his religious activity then that seeker becomes eligible to receive the position of Lord Indra. Since the post of the King of Heaven is attained with fierce austerity. That successful seeker gets enthroned as Lord Indra and the current Lord Indra’s position is stripped. Therefore, as far as possible, Lord Indra during his tenure does not let the tenacity or religious sacrifice of any seeker gets complete. He dissolves his austerity, no matter whatever he may have to do.
When Lord Indra’s messengers told him that Rishi Markandeya is performing tenacity in the Bay of Bengal then he sent the celestial maiden (Apsara) Urvashi, his perennially youthful and infinitely charming wife to dissolve the tenacity of Sage Markandeya. Urvashi was considered to be the most beautiful Apsara amongst all the Apsaras and nymphs in heaven. Attired with various ornaments
Markandeya Rishi said ‘My concentration was in Brahamlok
Sage Markandeya asked ‘Since nothing is inevitable when Lord Indra will die then what will you do?’. Urvashi replied ‘I will mete fourteen Indra. My age is in the form of the Queen consort’.
Note: The age of the Empress of one Lord Indra =72 chaturyuga *14=1008 chaturyuga ie. till one day (kalp) of Lord Brahma.
One day of Brahma Ji is 1008 chaturyuga.
One chaturyug=Satyug+Tretayug+Dwaparyug+Kalyug ie. total 43.20 lac years
The duration of one Lord Indra is 72 chaturyuga. After completing rule for these years 14 such Indra dies and another eligible soul takes charge of the King of heaven. Such 14 Indra will become husband of one Empress Urvashi.
This signifies, the soul of the Queen consort of Lord Indra ie. Urvashi would have done so many auspicious deeds in some human birth that she relishes luxuries in heaven for so long duration and enjoys pleasure as consort with 14 Kings of heaven.
Then sage Markandeya said ‘those 14 Indra will also die, then what will you do?’ Apsara Urvashi replied ‘I will become a mare after death and will spend life on the earth, the same will happen to all those 14 Indra. They will acquire the life form of a donkey on earth’.
Markandeya Rishi said ‘then why are you taking me to such a region (lok) whose King becomes a donkey after death and the Queen acquires the life form of a mare?’.
Urvashi replied ‘to protect my honor, else they will taunt me a deceiver’. Sage Markandeya said ‘what honor could be of a mare? You are a donkey in current birth since you mete with 14 husbands and after death, you accept that you will acquire life form of a mare, then what kind of honor is this of a mare?’. Embarrassed Urvashi then returned.
At that time, Lord Indra came from Heaven; according to the legislation; to provide his throne of the King of heaven to Markandeya Rishi. Lord Indra said ‘Sage I am defeated and you have won. Kindly accept the title of Indra’. Markandeya Rishi said ‘Well Indra! The title of Indra is of no use to me. To me, it is similar to a crow’s beat’.
The reality is, in the same way, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva after completing their tenure will also die and will go in 84 lac life forms
A worshipper named Ruchi, by practicing celibacy, was doing sadhana according to the Vedas. He was not married. When he turned forty, he saw his four ancestors who had become Pitra by doing sadhana opposite to the scriptures and were suffering. Pitro said, “Son Ruchi, get married and carry out our Śrāddha; we are suffering.” Ruchi Rishi said, “Pitramaho, in the Vedas, the path of Karm-Kand (Śrāddha, to offer Pind etc) is said to be sadhna of the fools. Then why are you directing me to that wrong (devoid of injunctions of scriptures) sadhna.
Pitro said, “Son, it is true that in Vedas, Pitra-worship, ghost-worship, worship of gods-goddesses (Karm-Kand) is called as Avidhya (ignorance / an error); there is no doubt about this.”
Sourse- jagatgururampalji
