मार्कण्डेय उवाच स एवमुक्तो राजर्षिरुत्तङ्केनापराजितः। उत्तवं कौरवश्रेष्ठ कृताञ्जलिरथाब्रवीत्॥
Markandeya said : Having been thus addressed by Uttanka, O foremost of the Kurus, that invincible royal sage spoke thus to Uttanka with joined hands.
न तेऽभिगमनं ब्रह्मन् मोघमेतद् भविष्यति। पुत्रो ममायं भगवन् कुवलाश्व इति स्मृतः॥ धृतिमान् क्षिप्रकारी च वीर्येणाप्रतिमो भुवि।
"O Brahmana, your this visit will not be in vain. O holy one, my this son, known by the name of Kuvalashva, is both active and steady; and he is also matchless in prowess on earth.
प्रियं च ते सर्वमेतत् करिष्यति न संशयः॥ पुत्रैः परिवृतः सर्वैः शूरैः परिघबाहुभिः। विसर्जयस्व मां ब्रह्मन् न्यस्तशस्त्रोऽस्मि साम्प्रतम्॥
He will certainly accomplish that which is pleasing to you. Surrounding by his brave sons all of whom possess arms like maces. O Brahmana, give me leave to depart, for I have now abandoned all weapons."
तथास्त्विति च तेनोक्तो मुनिनामिततेजसा। स तमादिश्य तनयमुत्तङ्काय महात्मने॥ क्रियतामिति राजर्षिर्जगाम वनमुत्तमम्।
Having been thus addressed by him, that immeasurably, effulgent Rishi said, "So be it." And the royal sage, after ordering his son to obey the command of the high-souled Uttanka, retired into an excellent forest.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच क एष भगवन् दैत्यो महावीर्यस्तपोधन॥ कस्य पुत्रोऽथ नप्ता वा एतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्।
Yudhishthira said: O exalted one, O great ascetic, who was this greatly powerful Daitya? Whose son and whose grandson was he? I desire to know all this.
एवं महाबलो दैत्यो न श्रुतो मे तपोधन॥ एतदिच्छामि भगवन् याथातथ्येन वेदितुम्। सर्वमेव महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरेण तपोधन॥
O great ascetic, I never heard of this greatly powerful Daitya. O exalted Rishi, O greatly wise one, O great ascetic, I desire to know all this in detail with all its true particulars.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच शृणु राजन्निदं सर्वं यथावृत्तं नराधिप। कथ्यमानं महाप्राज्ञ विस्तरेण यथातथम्॥
Markandeya said : O king, O ruler of men, O greatly wise one, hear all this as I narrate it in detail with all its true particulars.
एकार्णवे तदा लोके नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे। प्रणष्टेषु च भूतेषु सर्वेषु भरतर्षभ॥
O best of the Bharata race, when the world became one great ocean and all mobile and immobile creatures were killed,
प्रभवं लोककर्तारं विष्णुं शाश्वतमव्ययम्। यमाहुर्मुनयः सिद्धाः सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम्॥ सुष्वाप भगवान् विष्णुरप्सु योगत एव सः। नागस्य भोगे महति शेषस्यामिततेजसः॥
He who is the source and creator of the universe, the eternal and undeteriorating Vishnu, whom the Rishis endued with ascetic success call the lord of all the worlds, that being of great sanctity, then lay in Yoga sleep on the wide hood of the snake Shesha of immeasurably energy.
लोककर्ता महाभाग भगवानच्युतो हरिः। नागभोगेन महता परिरभ्य महीमिमाम्॥
The creator of the universe, the greatly blessed one, the exalted and undeteriorating Hari, lay on the hood of the snake encircling the whole world.
स्वपतस्तस्य देवस्य पद्मं सूर्यसमप्रभम्। नाभ्यां विनिःसृतं दिव्यं तत्रोत्पन्नः पितामहः॥ साक्षाल्लोकगुरुर्ब्रह्मा पद्मे सूर्यसमप्रभः।
When he (thus) lay asleep, a lotus as beautiful and effulgent as the sun sprang from his navel. From the sun-like effulgent lotus sprang the Grandsire.
चतुर्वेदश्चतुर्मूर्तिस्तथैव च चतुर्मुखः॥ स्वप्रभावाद् दुराधर्षो महाबलपराक्रमः।
That lord of the worlds, Brahma, who is the four Vedas, who has four forms and four faces and who possesses great strength and prowess.
कस्यचित् त्वथ कालस्य दानवौ वीर्यवत्तमौ॥ मधुश्च कैटभश्चैव दृष्टवन्तौ हरिं प्रभुम्। शयानं शयने दिव्ये नागभोगे महाद्युतिम्॥ बहुयोजनविस्तीर्णे बहुयोजनमायते। किरीटकौस्तुभधरं पीतकौशेयवाससम्॥ दीप्यमानं श्रिया राजंस्तेजसा वपुषा तथा। सहस्रसूर्यप्रतिममद्भुतोपमदर्शनम्॥
Once upon a time the two greatly powerful Danavas, Madhu and Kaitabha saw the lord Hari of great effulgence adorned with a crown and the Kaustubha gem and clad in purple silk robe, lying stretched for many yojanas on that excellent celestials bed furnished by the hood of the snake which itself lay extended far and wide blazing in its own beauty and lustre which resembled like one thousand suns concentrated in one mass.
विस्मयः सुमहानासीन्मधुकैटभयोस्तथा। दृष्ट्वा पितामहं चापि पद्म पद्मनिभेक्षणम्॥ वित्रासयेतामथ तौ ब्रह्माणममितौजसम्। वित्रस्यमानो बहुशो ब्रह्मा ताभ्यां महायशाः॥ अकम्पयत् पद्मनालं ततोऽबुध्यत केशवः। अथापश्यत गोविन्दो दानवौ वीर्यवत्तरौ॥
Madhu and Kaitabha became greatly astonished on seeing the lotus-eyed Grandsire sitting on the lotus. They then began to terrify Brahma of immeasurable prowess. The illustrious Brahma, frightened by them, began to tremble on his seat. At his trembling, the stalk of the lotus began to tremble and thus Keshava awoke and he saw those two greatly effulgent Danavas.
दृष्ट्वा तावब्रवीद् देवः स्वागतं वां महाबलौ। ददामि वां वरं श्रेष्ठं प्रीतिमर्हि मम जायते॥
Seeing them the deity said to them, "O mighty heroes, be welcome. I am gratified with you. I shall therefore give you some excellent boons."
तौ प्रहस्य हृषीकेशं महादौ महाबलौ। प्रत्यबूतां महाराज सहितौ मधुसूदनम्॥
O great king, those two greatly proud and powerful Danavas then laughingly replied to Hrishikesha, that slayer of Madhu,
आवां वरय देव त्वं वरदौ स्वः सुरोत्तम। दातारौ स्वो वरं तुभ्यं तद् ब्रवीह्यविचारयन्॥
"O deity, O foremost of the celestials, ask some boons from us. We are inclined to grant you some boons that you think proper.
श्रीभगवानुवाच प्रतिगृहणे वरं वीरावीप्सितश्च वरो मम। युवां हि वीर्यसम्पन्नौ न वामस्ति समः पुमान्॥ वध्यत्वमुपगच्छेतां मम सत्यपराक्रमौ। एतदिच्छाम्यहं कामं प्राप्तुं लोकहिताय वै॥
The Deity said: I shall accept a boon from you. There is a boon which I desire (to have from you). Both of you are indeed endued with very great prowess. There is none equal to you (on earth). O heroes of matchless prowess, allow yourselves to be killed by me. This is what I desire to do for the good of the world.
मधुकैटभावूचतुः अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं नौ स्वैरेष्वपि कुतोऽन्यथा। सत्ये धर्मे च निरतौ विद्ध्यावां पुरुषोत्तम॥
Madhu Kaitabha said: foremost of Purushas, we have never before spoken an untruth, not even in joke, what to speak of the other occasions? Know that we are always firm in truth and morality.
बले रूपे च शौर्ये च न शमे च समोऽस्ति नौ। धर्मे तपसि दाने च शीलसत्त्वदमेषु च॥
There is none equal to us in strength, in appearance, in beauty, in virtue, in asceticism, in charity, in conduct, in goodness and in selfcontrol.
उपप्लवो महानस्मानुपावर्तत केशव। उक्तं प्रतिकुरुष्व त्वं कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः॥
O Keshava, a great danger has overtaken us. Therefore do what you say. None can prevail over Time.
आवामिच्छावहे देव कृतमेकं त्वया विभो। अनावृतेऽस्मिन्नाकाशे वधं सुरवरोत्तम॥
O deity, O lord, O foremost of all the celestials, there is one thing, however, which we want to be done by you. You must kill us at a place which is absolutely uncovered.
पुत्रत्वमधिगच्छाव तव चापि सुलोचन। वर एष वृतो देव तद् विद्धि सुरसत्तम॥ अनृतं मा भवेद् देव यद्धि नौ संश्रुतं तदा।
O exalted one, O deity, O divine being, we desire to become your sons. Know this is the boon that we desire to get from you. Let not that which you spoke first be false.
श्रीभगवानुवाच बाढमेवं करिष्यामि सर्वमेतद् भविष्यति॥
The Deity said : Be it so. I shall do as you desire. Every thing will happen as you wish.
स विचिन्त्याथ गोविन्दो नापश्यद् यदनावृतम्। अवकाशं पृथिव्यां वा दिवि वा मधुसूदनः॥ स्वकावनावृतावूरू दृष्ट्वा देववरस्तदा। मधुकैटभयो राजन् शिरसी मधुसूदनः। चक्रेण शितधारेण न्यकृन्तत महायशाः॥
Then Govinda (Vishnu) reflected; but he could not find any uncovered place. When the slayer of Madhu could not find such a place, either in heaven or on carth, that foremost of the celestials then saw. his thighs absolutely uncovered. And there, ( king, the slayer of Madhu, cut off the heads of Madhu and Kaitabha with his sharp discus.