98 - The Märkandeya Purāņa: Contents

Shri Brahmā said: 

1. O sage, henceforth, I shall narrate the Puråņa named Märkandeya.1 It is highly meritorious to those who read and listen to it. 

1. This Purāna is available in two editions--B.I. (Bibliotheca Indica series) and Venkateshvar Press. Both the editions, however, differ in the total number of chapters (viz. 137 and 134) and number of verses in many chapters. This Purana is noted for the Devi Mahātmya or the famous Saplašhati which, though an interpolation, must have taken place long before 1000 A.D., as verses from the Saptashati arc quoted in the Dadhimati Mata Inscription (in former Jodhpur state dated 289 of the Gupta era (608 A.D).) vide Epi. Ind. XI. 299-303. This Purāņa is assigned a date between 400-600 A.D. (Kane HD. V:11. 903) 

2. All the Dharmas have been reviewed therein with reference to the wise birds (in the Vindhya mountains)2. Märkandeya Purāņa is said to contain nine thousand verses.3 

2. VV 2-3. This refers to the introductory part (chs 1-7) of the Mk. P. in which Märkandeya directs Jaimini to approach the wise birds in Vindhya mountain to get answers for his Mahābhārata problems (about the Mahābhårata story such as the reason of Nirguna Vasudeva’s assumption of human form, Balarāma’s token expiation for a Brāhmaṇa-slaughter etc.) I wonder why Jaimini, a direct disciple of Vyasa, the author of the Mbh., approached Märkandeya for problems about the Mbh and not to Vyåsa himself. The wise birds called Dharmas explain his difficulties. 

3. According to the NP.. Váyu, Matsya, Agni and Bh.P the Märkandeya P. consists of 9000 verses but the Venkateśhvar edition gives only 6447 verses (PJ. VIII.2. (349). It is possible that when NP. was finally redacted, the stories of Rama, Purūravas, Nahusa, Krishna etc. must have been in the then MSS of Mk, P., but they came to be deleted later and the printed editions of the Mk.P. do not include them. Hence the deficiency in the number of verses. 

3. At the outset, the question of sage Märkandeya to Jaimini is mentioned. Thereafter, the nativity of birds designated Dharma is recounted. 

4. The story of their previous birth; the aberration of Divaspati (Lord of Heaven); the pilgrimage of Bala, the narrative of the sons of Draupadi. 

5. The holy story of Harishchandra; the battle named Adibaka;1 the narrative of the father and son (viz. Mahāmati and Sumati), then the story of Dattatreya.2

1. The combat fought between Adi (an acquatic bird) and a crane into which Vasişhtha and Viśhvamitra had been transformed respectively due to curses given by them to each other due to the harsh treatment given by Viśhvamitra to King Harishchandra. God Brahmä intervened and stopped this duel. 

2. Cf. Bh. P. 1.3,52 where Dattatreya, the 6th incarnation of Vişhņu explained Anvikșhiki to Alarka and Prahlada. 

6. Then the story of Haihaya along with the great narrative, (the story of Kuvalayāśhva?) then the story of Madālasā is mentioned along with the story of Alarka. 

7. The holy glorification of the creation is made in nine ways; the end of the period of Kalpa is pointed out, the review of the creation of the Yakşhas. 

8. The creation by Rudra and others is mentioned; the activities in the continents have been mentioned; the stories of the Manus, diverse and destructive of sins, have been mentioned. 

9. Among those stories, the story of Durgå is exceedingly meritorious, in the eighth Manvantara. Thereafter, the origin of Praṇava hailing from the brilliance of the three Vedas. 

10. The narration of the nativity of Mārtanda along with its greatness; the race of Vaivasvata; then the story of Vatsaprī. 

11. Then the holy story of the noble-souled Khanitra is mentioned; the story of Avikșhit and the glorification of “Kimiccha” Vrata1 (the vowed observance called “What do you wish?’’) 

1. Kimiccha Vrata is given in the MkP. 122 8,17,20. Atruthi is asked what he wants and it is supplied to him. Avikshit, the son of Karandhama carried this vrata of his mother and proclaimed: “O beggars (arthinah), I have solemnly resolved to give you whatever you wish”. 

kimicchatha dadamyeșha kriyamáne Kimicchike -Mk, P, 122.20 

12. The story of Narișhyanta, then the story of Ikşhvāku, thereafter, the story of Nala, and then the excellent story of Rāmachandra. 

13. The narration of the line of Kuśha; the description of the lunar race; the holy story of Purūravas and the wonderful story of Nahușha. 

14. The holy story of Yayati, the cnumeration of the scions of the family of Yadu; the story of infant Krişhņa and then the story of his life at Mathurā. 

15. The story of his life at Dvārakā, the stories of all incarnations. Then the description of the Sänkhya philosophy, the glorification of Sattva quality in the world. 

16-18. Then the story of Mārkandeya; the benefit of listening to the Purāņa. The man who listens to this Puråņa called Markandeya with great devotion and respect, O dear one, attains the greatest goal. He who writes a gloss on this, attains the region of Śiva; Ile who writes the whole Purāņa and gives it to an excellent Brāhmaṇa on the full moon day in the month of Kärttika along with the replica of an elephant in gold, attains the region of Brahma. He who narrates or listens to this index (of topics in this Purāņa) shall attain the benefit desired as in the case of the whole Mārkandeya Purāņa.