Shloka 6
Adhyāya 188: Mārkaṇḍeya’s Account of Yuga-Decline and the Restoration Motif
Kali-yuga to Kalki
त॑ कदाचित् तपस्यन्तमार्द्रचीरजटाधरम् | चीरिणीतीरमागम्य मत्स्यो वचनमत्रवीत्,(वही बालक वैवस्वत मनुके नामसे प्रसिद्ध हुआ।) एक दिनकी बात है, मनु भीगे चीर और जटा धारण किये चीरिणी नदीके तटपर तपस्या कर रहे थे। उस समय एक मत्स्य आकर इस प्रकार बोला--
taṁ kadācit tapasyantam ārdracīrajaṭādharam | cīriṇītīram āgamya matsyo vacanam abravīt ||
ครั้งหนึ่ง เมื่อมนูบำเพ็ญตบะอยู่ริมฝั่งแม่น้ำจีริณี สวมอาภรณ์เปลือกไม้ที่ชื้นและไว้ผมเป็นชฎา ก็มีปลาตัวหนึ่งว่ายขึ้นมาถึงฝั่งแล้วกล่าวกับท่านดังนี้
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up a dharmic test: an ascetic devoted to tapas is approached by a vulnerable creature seeking engagement. It implies that true righteousness is not only personal austerity but also readiness to respond ethically—through compassion, protection, and right action—when another being comes for help.
Mārkaṇḍeya narrates that Manu is performing austerities on the bank of the Cīriṇī river, wearing damp bark-cloth and matted hair. A fish comes to the riverbank and begins speaking to him, initiating the next development of the episode.