Shloka 98
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
मुझे विस्मयमें पड़ा देख कमलके समान नेत्रवाले उस श्रीवत्सधारी कान्तिमान् बालकने मुझसे इस प्रकार श्रवणसुखद वचन कहा--'भृगुवंशी मार्कण्डेय! मैं तुम्हें जानता हूँ। तुम बहुत थक गये हो और विश्राम चाहते हो। तुम्हारी जबतक इच्छा हो यहाँ बैठो ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | taṁ māṁ vismaye patitaṁ dṛṣṭvā kamalanayanas sa śrīvatsadhārī kāntimān bālako mayā saha śravaṇasukhāni vacanāny uvāca— “bhṛguvaṁśī mārkaṇḍeya! ahaṁ tvāṁ jānāmi | tvaṁ bahu klānto ’si viśrāmaṁ ca icchasi | yāvat te icchā, iha upaviśa || abhyantaraṁ śarīre me praviśya munisattama | āssva bho vihito vāsaḥ prasādas te kṛto mayā ||”
ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—ମୋତେ ବିସ୍ମୟରେ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ଦେଖି, ସେ ପଦ୍ମସଦୃଶ ନୟନବାନ୍, ଶ୍ରୀବତ୍ସଧାରୀ, ଦ୍ୟୁତିମାନ ବାଳକ ଶ୍ରବଣସୁଖଦ ବଚନରେ ଏପରି କହିଲା—“ଭୃଗୁବଂଶୀୟ ମାର୍କଣ୍ଡେୟ! ମୁଁ ତୁମକୁ ଜାଣେ। ତୁମେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପରିଶ୍ରାନ୍ତ ଓ ବିଶ୍ରାମ ଚାହୁଁଛ। ଯେତେଦିନ ଇଚ୍ଛା, ଏଠାରେ ବସ।” ପୁଣି ସେ କହିଲା—“ମୁନିଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ମୋ ଶରୀରର ଅଭ୍ୟନ୍ତରକୁ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରି ବିଶ୍ରାମ କର। ସେଠାରେ ତୁମ ବାସ ପାଇଁ ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା କରାଯାଇଛି; ମୁଁ ତୁମପ୍ରତି ପ୍ରସାଦ କରିଛି।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights prasāda (grace) expressed as compassionate hospitality: the weary sage is offered rest and protection. Ethically, it models care for the exhausted and the honoring of ascetics, while also suggesting that true refuge may lie in a higher, divine reality symbolized by the invitation to enter the boy’s body.
Mārkaṇḍeya, astonished at what he sees, is addressed by a radiant, lotus-eyed boy marked with Śrīvatsa. The boy recognizes him, notes his fatigue, invites him to sit as long as he wishes, and then offers an extraordinary refuge: to enter within the boy’s body where a place to stay has been prepared.