मार्कण्डेय उवाच देवानां कथा संजाता महीतलं गत्वा महीपति शिबिमौशीनरं साध्वेनं शिबिं जिज्ञास्याम इति। एवं भो इत्युक्त्वा अग्नीन्द्रावुपतिष्ठेताम्॥
Markandeya said: One day the celestials resolved that they should go to the earth and try the virtue of the ruler of earth, Shivi. Saying “very well” Agni and Indra went (to earth).
अग्निः कपोतरूपेण तमभ्यधावदामिषार्थमिन्द्रः श्येनरूपेणः॥
Agni, assuming the form of a region flew away from Indra who pursued him in the form of a hawk.
अथ कपोतो राज्ञो दिव्यासनासीनस्योत्सङ्गं न्यपतत्॥
The pigeon fell on the lap of the king Shivi who was seated on a costly seat.
अथ पुरोहितो राजानमब्रवीत्। प्राणरक्षार्थं श्येनाद् भीतो भवन्तं प्राणार्थी प्रपद्यते॥
Thereupon the priest thus spoke to the king," Afraid of the hawk, this pigeon has come to you for his life with the intention of saving it.
वसु ददातु अन्तवान् पार्थिवोऽस्य निष्कृतिं कुर्याद् घोरं कपोतस्य निपातमाहुः॥
The learned men have said that the fall of pigeon on one's lap forebodes a great danger. The king who understands men should save himself by giving away wealth.”
अथ कपोतो राजानमब्रवीत्। प्राणरक्षार्थं श्येनाद् भीतो भवन्तं प्राणार्थी प्रपद्ये अङ्गैरङ्गानि प्राप्यार्थी मुनिर्भूत्वा प्राणांस्त्वां प्रपद्ये॥
Thereupon the pigeon thus spoke to the king. "Afraid of the hawk and desirous of saving my life, I have come to you for the safety of my life. I am a Rishi. Assuming now the form of a pigeon I have come to you to seek the protection of my life. I consider you my life.
स्वाध्यायेन कर्शितं ब्रह्मचारिणं मां विद्धि। तपसा दमेन युक्तमाचार्यस्याप्रतिकूलभाषिणम्। एवं युक्तमपापं मां विद्धिा॥
Know me as one who is learned in the Vedas, as one leading the life of a Brahmachari, as one who possesses selfcontrol and asceticism. Know me also as one who have never spoken a harsh word to his preceptor, as one possessed of every virtue and as one that is sinless.
गदामि वेदान् विचिनोमि छन्दः सर्वे वेदा अक्षरशो मे अधीताः। न साधु दानं श्रोत्रियस्य प्रदान मा प्रादाः श्येनाय न कपोतोऽस्मि॥
I recite the Vedas, I know their prosody, I have studied all the Vedas letter per letter. I am not a pigeon. Therefore do not given me up to the hawk. Giving up a learned and a noble man is never a good gift."
अथ श्येनो राजानमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon the hawk spoke Thus to the king.
पर्यायेण वसतिर्वा भवेषु सर्गे जातः पूर्वमस्मात् कपोतात्। त्वमाददानोऽथ कपोतमेनं मा त्वं राजन् विघ्नकर्ता भवेथाः॥
Creatures are not at once born in their own order. You may have been in a former birth begotten by this pigeon. O king, it is not proper for you to interfere with my food by protecting this pigeon.
राजोवाच केनेदृशी जातु परा हि दृष्टा वागुच्यमाना शकुनेन संस्कृता। यां वै कपोतो वदते यां च श्येन उभौ विदित्वा कथमस्तु साधु॥
The King said : Has any one seen before that birds speak the pure speech of man? knowing what the pigeon says and also what the hawk says, what is good for us to do?
नास्य वर्षं वर्षति वर्षकाले नास्य बीजं रोहति काल उप्तम्। भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे न त्राणं लभेत् त्राणमिच्छन् स काले॥
He, who gives up a frightened creature seeking protection of his enemies, does not get protection when he is in need of it. The clouds do not shower seasonably for him and the seeds, though sown, do not grow for him.
जाता ह्रस्वा प्रजा प्रमीयते सदा न वासं पितरोऽस्य कुर्वते। भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे नास्य देवाः प्रतिगृहणन्ति हव्यम्॥
He, who gives up an afflicted creature seeking protection of its enemies, sees his offspring die in childhood. The forefathers of such a man can never live in heaven. The very celestial decline to accept his havya, the libation of ghi poured by him into the fire).
मोघमन्नं विन्दति चाप्रचेताः स्वर्गाल्लोकाद् भ्रश्यति शीघ्रमेव। भीतं प्रपनं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे सेन्द्रा देवाः प्रहरन्त्यस्य वज्रम्॥
He who gives up an afflicted creature seeking protection of his enemies is struck by the thunderbolt hurled by the celestial with Indra at their head. Being a very narrowminded person, the food he eats is unsanctified and he soon falls from the celestial pigeon.
उक्षाणं पक्त्वा सह ओदनेन अस्मात् कपोतात् प्रति ते नयन्तु। यस्मिन् देशे स्मसेऽतीव श्येन तत्र मांसं शिबयस्ते वहन्तु॥
O hawk, let Shivis put before you a bull cooked with rice in the place of this pigeon. Let them carry meat in abundance to the place where you like (to take them).
श्येन उवाच नोक्षाणं राजन् पार्थयेयं न चान्यदस्मान्मांसमधिकं वा कपोतात्। देवैर्दत्तः सोध्यं ममैष भक्षस्तन्मे ददस्व शकुनानामभावात्॥
The Hawk said : O king, I do not ask for a bull or any other meat or meat more than what is in that pigeon. He (the pigeon) is my food today ordained by the gods. Therefore give him up to me.
राजोवाच उक्षाणं वेहतमनूनं नयन्तु ते पश्यन्तु पुरुषा ममैव। भयाहितस्य दायं ममान्तिकात् त्वां प्रत्याम्नायं तु त्वं ह्येन मा हिंसीः॥
The king said: Let my men see and carefully carry the bull to you with its every limb entire. Let that bull be the ransom for this frightened creature. Do not kill this pigeon.
त्यजे प्राणान् नैव दद्यां कपोतं सौम्यो ह्ययं किं न जानासि श्येन। यथा क्लेशं मा कुरुष्वेह सौम्य नाहं कपोतमर्पयिष्ये कथंचित्॥
O hawk, I will give up my own life, but I will not give up this pigeon. Do you not see this creature looks like a sacrifice with the Soma juice? O blessed one, do not take so much trouble for it; I will never give up this pigeon.
यथा मां वै साधुवादैः प्रसन्नाः प्रशंसेयुः शिबयः कर्मणा तु। यथा श्येन प्रियमेव कुर्यां प्रशाधि मां यद् वदेस्तत् करोमि॥
O hawk, if it pleases you order me to do something which may be agreeable to you and for doing which the Shivi people may praise me and bless me in joy. I promise that I shall do whatever you will tell me to do.
श्येन उवाच ऊरोदक्षिणादुत्कृत्य स्वपिशितं तावद् राजन् यावन्मांसं कपोतेन समम्। तथा तस्मात् साधु त्रातः कपोतः प्रशंसेयुश्च शिबयः कृतं च प्रियं स्यान्ममेति॥
The Hawk said : O king, if you give me as much flesh as would be equal in weight to this pigeon, flesh cutting off from your right thigh, then can the pigeon be saved by you, then would you do what would be agreeable to me and what the Shivi people would speak in high terms of praise.
अथ दक्षिणादूरोरुत्कृत्य स्वमांसपेशीं तुलया धारयत्। गुरुतर एव कपोत आसीत्॥
Thereupon he cut off a piece of flesh from his right thigh and weighed it with the pigeon, but the pigeon weighed heavier.
पुनरन्यमुच्चकर्त गुरुतर एव कपोतः। एवं सर्व समधिकृत्य शरीरं तुलायामारोपयामासा तत् तथापि गुरुतर एव कपोत आसीत्॥
He cut off another piece of flesh, but still the pigeon weighed heavier. Then he cut off pieces of flesh from all parts of his body and placed them on the scale, but the pigeon still weighed heavier.
अथ राजा स्वयमेव तुलामारुरोह। न च व्यलीकमासीद् राज्ञ एतद् वृत्तान्तं दृष्ट्वा त्रात इत्युक्त्वा प्रालीयत श्येनोऽथ राजा अब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon the king himself got on the scale; he did not feel the least grief for it. Seeing this the hawk then and there disappeared exclaiming "saved”. Thereupon the king said,
कपोतं विद्युः शिबयस्त्वां कपोत पृच्छामि ते शकुने को नु श्येनः। नानीश्वर ईदृशं जातु कुर्यादेतं प्रश्नं भगवन् मे विचक्ष्व॥
"O bird, O pigeon, I ask you, let the Shivi people know who this hawk is. None except the lord of creation can do what he did. O exalted one, reply to my question.
कपोत उवाच वैश्वानरोऽहं ज्वलनोधूमकेतुरथैव श्येनो वज्रहस्तः शचीपतिः। साधु ज्ञातुं त्वामृषभं सौरथेय नौ जिज्ञासया त्वत्सकाशं प्रपन्नौ॥
The Pigeon said: O son of Suratha, I am the smoke-bannered deity, Vaishvanara (Fire). The hawk is the husband of Sachi, the wielder of thunder (Indra). You are the foremost of men, we came to try you.
यामेतां पेशीं मम निष्क्रयाय प्रादाद् भवानसिनोत्कृत्य राजन्। एतद् वो लक्ष्म शिवं करोमि हिरण्यवर्णं रुचिरं पुण्यगन्धम्॥
O king, these pieces of flesh that you have cut off from your body with your sword to save me, have made gashes in your body. I shall make these marks auspicious. They will be handsome, golden-coloured and sweet-scented.
एतासां प्रजानां पालयिता यशस्वी सुरर्षीणामथ सम्मतो भृशम्। एतस्मात् पार्थात् पुरुषो जनिष्यति कपोतरोमेति च तस्य नाम॥
Earning great fame and being respected by ! the celestial, you will long rule over these men. A son will be born to you from your side who will be named Kapotaraman.
कपोतरोमाणं शिबिनौद्भिदं पुत्रं प्राप्स्यसि नृप वृषसंहननं यशोदीप्यमानं द्रष्टासि शूरमृषभं सौरथानाम्॥
You will get out of your own body this son named Kapotaraman. You will see him become the foremost heroes of the Saurathas blazing in fame and possessing exceeding bravery and great beauty.