Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 5
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Tested by Indra and Blessed by Nara-Nārāyaṇa
आहुश्चिरायुषमृषिं मृकण्डतनयं जना: । य: कल्पान्ते ह्युर्वरितो येन ग्रस्तमिदं जगत् ॥ २ ॥ स वा अस्मत्कुलोत्पन्न: कल्पेऽस्मिन् भार्गवर्षभ: । नैवाधुनापि भूतानां सम्प्लव: कोऽपि जायते ॥ ३ ॥ एक एवार्णवे भ्राम्यन् ददर्श पुरुषं किल । वटपत्रपुटे तोकं शयानं त्वेकमद्भुतम् ॥ ४ ॥ एष न: संशयो भूयान् सूत कौतूहलं यत: । तं नश्छिन्धि महायोगिन् पुराणेष्वपि सम्मत: ॥ ५ ॥
āhuś cirāyuṣam ṛṣiṁ mṛkaṇḍu-tanayaṁ janāḥ yaḥ kalpānte hy urvarito yena grastam idaṁ jagat
Sinasabi ng mga kinikilalang awtoridad na si Ṛṣi Mārkaṇḍeya, anak ni Mṛkaṇḍu, ay isang pantas na may pambihirang haba ng buhay, at siya lamang ang nakaligtas sa pagtatapos ng isang araw ni Brahmā, nang ang buong sansinukob ay nalusaw sa baha ng paglipol. Ngunit ang mismong si Mārkaṇḍeya, ang pinakadakila sa lahi ni Bhṛgu, ay isinilang sa aming angkan sa kasalukuyang araw ni Brahmā, at hanggang ngayo’y wala pa kaming nakikitang ganap na pralaya sa araw na ito. Kilala rin na habang siya’y walang magawa at palutang-lutang sa dakilang karagatan ng paglipol, nakita niya sa nakapanghihilakbot na tubig ang isang kamangha-manghang Persona—isang sanggol na lalaki, nag-iisa, na nakahimlay sa tiklop ng isang dahon ng punong balete. O Sūta, labis akong nalilito at sabik na maunawaan ang dakilang pantas na si Mārkaṇḍeya. O dakilang yogī, kinikilala ka sa lahat ng Purāṇa bilang awtoridad; kaya pawiin mo ang aking pagkalito.
Lord Brahmā’s day, consisting of his 12 hours, lasts 4 billion 320 million years, and his night is of the same duration. Apparently Mārkaṇḍeya lived throughout one such day and night and in the following day of Brahmā continued living as the same Mārkaṇḍeya. It seems that when annihilation occurred during Brahmā’s night, the sage wandered throughout the fearful waters of destruction and saw within those waters an extraordinary personality lying on a banyan leaf. All of these mysteries concerning Mārkaṇḍeya will be clarified by Sūta Gosvāmī at the request of the great sages.
FAQs
This verse points to the Supreme Lord appearing as a wondrous infant (often understood as Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu) whom Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi beholds during the oceanic dissolution—an intimate revelation of the Lord’s protection and transcendence beyond pralaya.
Because Mārkaṇḍeya is said to be born in their own lineage in the current kalpa, yet a universal deluge is not presently observed—so they request Sūta, renowned for Purāṇic knowledge, to reconcile and explain the apparent contradiction.
When spiritual narratives raise doubt, the Bhāgavatam models a healthy path: approach a qualified teacher, ask sincerely, and seek clarity—strengthening faith through understanding rather than ignoring questions.