वैशम्पायन उवाच मार्कण्डेयमृषयो ब्राह्मणा युधिष्ठिश्च पर्यपृच्छन्नृषिः केन दीर्घायुरासीद् बको मार्कण्डेयस्तु तान् सर्वानुवाच॥
Vaishampayana said : The Rishis, the Brahmanas and Yudhishthira then asked Markandeya how the Rishi Baka was (so) long-lived. Markandeya thus spoke to them all.
महातपा दीर्घायुश्च बको दीर्घायुश्च बको राजन् नात्र कार्या विचारणा॥
“The greatly ascetic royal sage Baka was long-lived; you need not enquire of its reason."
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कौन्तेया भ्रातृभिः सह भारत। मार्कण्डेयं पर्यपृच्छधर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः॥
O descendant of Bharata, having heard this, the son of Kunti Dharmaraja Yudhishthira with his brothers thus again asked Markandeya.
श्रूयते हि महाभाग बाको दाल्भ्यो महातपाः। प्रियः सखा च शक्रस्य चिरजीवी च सत्तम॥
“We have heard that both the high-souled Baka and Dalbha were immortal; and these (two) Rishis, held in universal reverence, were the friends of the lord of the celestial (Indra).
एतदिच्छामि भगवन् बकशक्रसमागमम्। सुखदुःखसमायुक्तं तत्त्वेन कथयस्व मे॥
O exalted one, I desire to hear the account of the meetings of Indra and Baka which is both full of joy as well as grief. Tell me all this in detail.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच वृत्ते देवासुरे राजन् संग्रामे लोमहर्षणे। त्रयाणामपि लोकानामिन्द्रो लोकाधिपोऽभवत्॥
Markandeya said : O king, when the fearful war between the Devas and the Asuras was over, Indra became the lord of all the worlds.
सम्यग् वर्षति पर्जन्ये सस्यसम्पद उत्तमाः। निरामयाः सुधर्मिष्ठाः प्रजाधर्मपरायणाः॥
The clouds copiously rained and people had an abundance of harvests. They had no malice or ill will, they were devoted to the duties of their own order. They were all devoted to virtue.
मुदितश्च जनः सर्वः स्वधर्मेषु व्यवस्थितः। ता: प्रजा मुदिताः सर्वा दृष्टवा बलनिषूदनः॥
Adhering to the duties of their own order, people became very happy. Having seen all people happy, the slayer of Bala,
ततस्तु मुदितो राजन् देवराजः शतक्रतुः। ऐरावतं समास्थाय ताः पश्यन् मुदिताः प्रजाः॥
O king, the lord of the celestials Indra himself became very happy. Seated on his (elephant) Airavata, he saw his happy subjects.
आश्रमांश्च विचित्रांश्च नदीश्च विविधाः शुभाः। नगराणि समृद्धानि खेटान् जनपदांस्तथा॥
(He also saw) various hermitages and many auspicious rivers, prosperous towns, villages and rural regions, all enjoying plenty in everything.
प्रजापालनदक्षांश्च नरेन्द्रान्धर्मचारिणः। उदपानं प्रपा वापी तडागानि सरांसि च॥ नाना ब्रह्मसमाचारैः सेवितानि द्विजोत्तमैः। ततोऽवतीर्य रम्यायां पृथ्व्यां राजञ्छतक्रतुः॥
(He also saw) kings devoted to virtue and skillful in protecting their subjects; also tanks and reservoirs, wells and lakes and small ponds all full of water and adorned with the foremost of Brahmanas engaged in the observance of various excellent O king, then descending on the charming earth, Shatakratu (Indra). VOWS.
तत्र रम्ये शिवे देशे बहुवृक्षसमाकुले। पूर्वस्यां दिशि रम्यायां समुद्राभ्याशतो नृप॥
When, O king, towards a blessed country abounding in numerous trees and situated in the region of the east near the sea.
तत्राश्रमपदं रम्यं मृगद्विजनिषेवितम्। तत्राश्रमपदे रम्ये बकं पश्यति देवराट्॥
It was a charming hermitage frequented by beasts and birds. The king of the celestials saw in that charming hermitage Baka.
बकस्तु दृष्ट्वा देवेन्द्रं दृढं प्रीतमनाभवत्। पाद्यासनार्घ्यदानेन फलमूलैरथार्चयत्॥
Baka also seeing the chief of the celestials became exceedingly happy. He received him with the offer of Argha and water to wash his feet and also fruits and roots.
सुखोपविष्टो वरदस्ततस्तु बलसूदनः। ततः प्रश्नं बकं देव उवाच त्रिदशेश्वरः॥
Having comfortably seated himself, the boon-giving, slayer of Bala, the king of the heaven, asked Baka the following questions.
शतं वर्षसहस्राणि मुने जातस्य तेऽनघ। समाख्याहि मम ब्रह्मन् किं दुःखं चिरजीविनाम्॥
Indra said: O Rishi, O sinless one, you have lived for one hundred thousand years. O Brahmana, tell me what are the sorrows of those who live forever.
बक उवाच अप्रियैः सह संवासः प्रियैश्चापि विनाभवः। असद्भिः सम्प्रयोगाश्च तद् दुःखं चिरजीविनाम्॥
Baka said : To live with persons who are disagreeable, to be separated with persons that are agreeable and beloved, to associate with the wicked, these are the evils which they that are immortal have to bear.
पुत्रदारविनाशोऽत्र ज्ञातीनां सुहृदामपि। परेष्वायत्तताकृच्छ, किं नु दुःखतरं ततः॥
What could be greater evil than (to witness) that death of sons and wives, of kinsmen and friends and than the pain of dependence on others.
नान्यद् दुःखतरं किञ्चिल्लोकेषु प्रतिभाति मे अथैविहीनः पुरुषः परैः सम्परिभूयते॥
I believe there is no more pitiable sight in the world than that of men destitute of wealth being insulted by others (who possess wealth).
अकुलानां कुले भावं कुलीनानां कुलक्षयम्। संयोगं विप्रयोगं च पश्यन्ति चिरजीविनः॥
The acquisition of family dignity by those who do not possess it and the loss of family dignity by those who possess it, unions and disunion's, these are to be witnessed by one who lives forever.
अपि प्रत्यक्षमेवैतत् तव देव शतक्रतो। अकुलानां समृद्धानां कथं कुलविपर्ययः॥
O deity Shatakratu, those that have no family dignity gain wealth, what could be greater reverses of family dignity than this? All this you are to see happening before yours eyes (if your live forever).
देवदानवगन्धर्वमनुष्योरगराक्षसाः। प्राप्नुवन्ति विपर्यासं किं नु दुःखतरं ततः॥
What can be a greater sorrow than to witness) the reverses of the celestials, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, men, the Nagas and the Rakshasas?
कुले जाताश्च क्लिश्यन्ते दौष्कुलेयवशानुगाः। आढ्यैर्दरिद्राश्चाक्रान्ता: किं नु दुःखतरं ततः॥
They that are nobly born suffer affliction by coming under the subjection of low-born men; the poor are insulted by the rich, what can be a greater sorrow than (all) this?
लोके वैधर्म्यमेतत् तु दृश्यते बहुविस्तरम्। हीनज्ञानाश्च हृष्यन्ते क्लिश्यन्ते प्राज्ञकोविदाः॥ बहुदुःखपरिक्लेशं मानुष्यमिह दृश्यते।
Innumerable instances of such contradictory dispensations are seen in the world (by one who lives forever). The foolish and the ignorant are happy while the learned and the wise are miserable. Many instances of misery are seen among men in this world.
इन्द्र उवाच पुनरेव महाभाग देवर्षिगणसेवित॥ समाख्याहि मम ब्रह्मन् किं सुखं चिरजीविनाम्।
Indra said: O greatly exalted one, tell me what are the joys of those that live forever, joys adored by the celestials and the Rishis?
बक उवाच अष्टमे द्वादशे वापि शाकं यः पचते गृहे॥
Baka said: He who cooks even leaves at the eighth and twentieth part of the day.
कुमित्राण्यनपाश्रित्य किं वै सुखतरं ततः। यत्राहानि न गण्यन्ते नैनमाहुर्महाशनम्॥
And he who has no wicked friend, who is happier than he? He in whose case the day is not counted is not called voracious.
अपि शाकं पचानस्य सुखं वै मघवन् गृहे। अर्जितं स्वेन वीर्येण नाप्यपाश्रित्य कञ्चन॥ फलशाकमपि श्रेयो भोक्तुं शकृपणं गृहे। परस्य तु गृहे भोक्तुः परिभूतस्य नित्यशः॥ सुमृष्टमपि न श्रेयो विकल्पोऽयमतः सताम्। श्ववत् कोलालपो यस्तु परान्नं भोक्तुमिच्छति॥ धिगस्तु तस्य तद् भुक्तं कृपणस्य दुरात्मनः। यो दत्त्वातिथिभूतेभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च द्विजोत्तमः॥
O Maghavan, even he is happy who cooks only little leaves (for his food). Earned by his own efforts, he who eats even fruits and leaves in his own house deserves to be respected. He, who eats in another's house the food given to him in contempt, even if that food be rich and palatable, does a thing which is hateful. Therefore the wise cry "fie" on the food that a mean wretch like a dog or a Rakshasa eats at another's house. If after feeding the guests and the servants and offering food to the Pitris, an excellent Brahmana.
शिष्टान्यन्नानि यो भुङ्क्ते किं वै सुखतरं ततः। अतो मृष्टतरं नान्यत् पूतं किञ्चिच्छतक्रतो॥
Eats what remains, there can be none happier than he. O Shatakratu, there is nothing sweeter or holier.
दत्त्वा यस्त्वतिथिभ्यो वै भुङ्क्ते तेनैव नित्यशः। यावतो ह्यन्धसः पिण्डानश्नाति सततं द्विजः॥ तावतां गोसहस्राणां फलं प्राप्नोति दायकः। यदेनो यौवनकृतं तत् सर्वं नश्यतेध्रुवम्॥
Than that food which such a person takes after having fed the guests with its first portion. Each mouthful that the Brahmana eats after having fed the guests produces the fruit of giving away one thousand kine. Whatever sins might have been committed by him in his childhood are all destroyed.
सदक्षिणस्य भुक्तस्य द्विजस्य तु करे गतम्। यद् वारि वारिणा सिञ्चत् तद्ध्येनस्तरते क्षणात्॥
If the water that is in the hands of a Brahmana who has been fed and honoured with Dakshina be sprinkled (on the feeder), then all his sins are instantly destroyed.
एताश्चान्याश्च वै बह्वीः कथयित्वा कथाः शुभाः। बकेन सह देवेन्द्र आपृच्छय त्रिदिवं गतः॥
Markandeya said : Having talked over this and various other auspicious things with Baka, the chief of the celestial went to heaven.