SHIVA AND MARKANDEYA
Once
Sage Mrikundu did hard penance to please Lord Shiva who was duly pleased and
appeared to him. He said, "Tell me what is your wish?" The sage
revealed that he wanted a son.
Lord
Shiva asked, "Do you want a son with a long life but little brains of a
son with intellectual qualities but only sixteen years of life?"
"Lord,
I would prefer a son with qualities," the sage expressed his preference.
"So
be it," said Shiva and disappeared.
In
due course the sage wife Marudwati gave birth to a son. The fellow sages
congratulated them, and the couple celebrated the newborn’s arrival and
christened him to "Markandeya'.
As
expected, the child was brainy, and he excelled in studies and intellectual
pursuits. By the age of sixteen he had become an authority on Vedas and other
treatises. His teachers prided themselves over their exceptionally brilliant
student. Many envied the parents of the boy for their good fortune.
But
the mother of the boy was a very worried and sad woman. She would sob and
confide in her husband, "Master! How can I ignore the fact that our son
will soon depart leaving us to grieve over him for the rest of our lives."
One
day Markandeya had gone to the garden to pick flowers for worship. On his return
he found his mother weeping. He asked, "Ma! Why do you weep? The mother
didn't reply. She kept sobbing.
His
father was sitting beside the mother in an equally depressed mood.
Markandeya
asked again, "Ma, why don't you tell me what is wrong with you? Are you
not feeling well or something you think I would not be able to do what you
want? Look, I am no longer a child. You can confide in me. Tomorrow I will
complete my 16th year of my age."
"That
is why your mother is weeping, son," the father slowly said.
-What?
What is wrong in my becoming 16 year old?" Markandeya asked greatly
puzzled "Alright, I will tell you," his father said with a sigh.
The
father told his son all about the boon of Shiva and his birth. Markandeya
consoled his mother saying, "Don't weep, ma. I will not die. You will see.
Lord Shiva can grant life against death. He is power immortal."
"My
child, God bless you. Try what you can," the father hopefully said.
Markandeya left home with the blessing of his parents. The next morning, he
reached the seashore where he raised a sand and mud Shivalinga. He put flowers
on it and sat down to meditate. Markandeya meditated for the whole day. In the evening,
he sang prayers. Just then, Yama, the god of death arrived. He announced,
"Your days are up, boy. Prepare to depart." "Wait a bit, Lord.
Let me finish my prayers," Markandeya requested.
"The
death does not wait for anyone," Yama growled.
"Please
don't disturb my worship. You can take me to the other world as soon as I
finish the worship."
"Fool!
Do you think that clinging to lignum would earn you longer life? No one can
escape death."
Yama
prepared to cast his death line on the boy. Suddenly a miracle happened. Lord
Shiva materialized there. Yama froze became Shiva was the master of death.
Markandeya
fell at Shiva's feet. The Lord knew his wish and granted him immortality. Later
before a doom's day Lord Hari appeared to Markandeya and showed him the whole
cosmos inside his mouth.
It
is believed that Markandeya still exists and frequents the pilgrim centres in
disguises.
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