105 - The Birth of Marttanda.

The Sun revealed himself to Aditi and became her son as Marttanda-

This name is explained—Marttanda destroyed the demons and restored the gods to their sovereign posiiions. 

Markandeya spoke:

1 Thereapon from out of that his own gloiry the San revealed†† himself; the lord, the Sun, appeared then, like unto

†† For adir bhuto read avir-bhuto, as in the Bornbay edition. 

2 glowing copper. And the luminous one spoke, O muni, unto the goddess, who fell prostrate when she beheld him-

3       “Choose from me the coveted boon that thou desirest.”And she, lying prostrate with her head on the ground and pressing the earth with her knees, answered the Sun who present in his very person offered her a boon:— 

4       “0 god! be gracious; the three worlds have been snatched§ from my sons, and the shares in sacrifices also, by both the

§ For Kritam read hritam.

5 Daityas and the Danavas who excel them in strength. Do thou, O lord of the heavenly cattle, bestow on me favour for that purpose; witli a portion of thyself enter thou into Brother

6 hood with them and destroy their enemies. In order that my sons may again partake of the shares of the sacrifices, O lord,

7 and may become rulers of the three worlds, O Sun, do thou then most graciously show compassion* on my sons, O Sun, who removest the afflictions of suppliants; thou art called the Author of permanence.”

* For anukampa read anukampam. 

Markandeya spoke:

8 Thereupon the adorable lord, the Sun, the robber of the waters, spoke unto prostrate Aditi, O brihman, while his 

9 countenance was benign with favour†— “Taking birth in thy womb with all my thousand portions, I will speedily destroy the foes of thy sons, Aditi, in security."††

† For prasadam sumukho read prasada-sumukho. 

†† For nir-vritah read nir-vritah, 

10 Having spoken thus the adorable Sun vanished from her sight; and she ceased from her austerities, having gained all

11 her desire. Thereupon the Sun’s ray called Sausumna§ from, out of his thousand rays|| became incarnate in the womb of

§ This is the reading of both the editions, but it is not in the dictionary, Su-shMmna is the name of one of the Sun’s seven principal rays, that which ia supposed to supply heat to the moon. The reading here should therefore presumably be Su-shumna or Saushumna, 

12 the mother of the gods, O brahman. And she, with her mind composed, performed the arduous chandrayana penance¶ and other austerities. Being pure she conceived him, knowing

||For rarshmi-sahasram read rashmi-sahasrat as in the Bornbay edition.

¶ See Manu vi. 20.

13 that the embryo was a heavenly one, O brahman. Then spoke Kashyapa to her with words somewhat confused through 

14 anger,— “Why dost thou destroy the egg in thy womb by continual fasting?”And she said to him,—”Seest thou this egg within my womb, O wrathful man? It has not been destroyed; it shall be for the death of our adversaries.”

Markandeya spoke:

15 Having spoken so she, who is the path of the gods,* in anger at her husband’s words, gave birth to the child then

* This is the Bornbay reading, suraranih. The Calcutta reading suravanih seems incorrect. 

16 which blazed brilliantly with glory. Kashyapa, on seeing the child which shone like the rising sun, fell prostrate and

17 praised it respectfully with ancient Rich hymns. Being so praised, he revealed himself from out the foetal egg, having a lustre like unto the petal of a lotus-flower, pervading the

18 regions of the sky with his glory. Moreover, a voice deep as a thunder-cloud’s, addressing† Kashyapa, best of munis, from the air, spoke, issuing from no corporeal being-

† For ahasya read abhashya?  

19 “Whereas thou, O muni, hast spoken of this egg as destroyed†† to thee, therefore, O muni, this thy son shall be

†† Maritam andam.

20 called Marttanda. And he as lord shall exercise the Sun’s sway on the earth; and he shall slay the Asuras, the foes who have carried oS the shares of the sacrifices.”

21 The gods hearing this speech from heaven assembled together, and experienced unparalleled joy; and the Danavas

22 were bereft of their vigour. Thereupon Indra challenged the Daityas to battle; and the Danavas filled with joy

23 encountered the gods. Terrible was the battle of the gods with the Asuras, wherein all the regions between the worlds were rendered brilliant with the light from the arms and 

24 weapons. In that battle the adorable Marttanda looked at those great Asuras, and being burnt up by his splendour they

25 were reduced to ashes. Thereupon all the dwellers in heaven experienced unparalleled joy, and praised Marttanda

26 the source of splendour and also Aditi; moreover, they regained their own spheres of dominion and their shares of the sacrifices as before; and the adorable Marttanda also exercised

27 his own dominion. Like unto a rounded ball of fire with rays shooting out both downward and upward like a globular flower-head of the kadamba, the Sun assumed a body that did not flash over-poweringly.