sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; saṁstutaḥ — properly glorified; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; ittham — in this way; mārkaṇḍeyena — by Mārkaṇḍeya; dhī-matā — the intelligent sage; nārāyaṇaḥ — Lord Nārāyaṇa; nara-sakhaḥ — the friend of Nara; prītaḥ — satisfied; āha — spoke; bhṛgu-udvaham — to the most eminent descendant of Bhṛgu.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; bhoḥ bhoḥ — dear sage; brahma-ṛṣi — of all learned brāhmaṇas; varyaḥ — the best; asi — you are; siddhaḥ — perfect; ātma-samādhinā — by fixed meditation upon the Self; mayi — directed toward Me; bhaktyā — by devotional service; anapāyinyā — undeviating; tapaḥ — by austerities; svādhyāya — study of the Vedas; saṁyamaiḥ — and regulative principles.

vayam — We; te — with you; parituṣṭāḥ — perfectly satisfied; sma — have become; tvat — your; bṛhat-vrata — of the vow of lifelong celibacy; caryayā — by performance; varam — a benediction; pratīccha — please choose; bhadram — all good; te — unto you; vara-daḥ — the giver of benedictions; asmi — I am; tvat-īpsitam — desired by you.

śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvāca — the sage said; jitam — are victorious; te — You; deva-deva-īśa — O Lord of lords; prapanna — of one who is surrendered; ārti-hara — O remover of all distress; acyuta — O infallible one; vareṇa — with the benediction; etāvatā — this much; alam — enough; naḥ — by us; yat — that; bhavān — Your good self; samadṛśyata — has been seen.

gṛhītvā — receiving; aja-ādayaḥ — (became) Brahmā and others; yasya — whose; śrīmat — all-opulent; pāda-abja — of the lotus feet; darśanam — the sight; manasā — by the mind; yoga-pakvena — matured in yoga practice; saḥ — He; bhavān — Yourself; me — my; akṣi — to the eyes; go-caraḥ — perceptible.

atha api — nonetheless; ambuja-patra — like the petals of a lotus; akṣa — O You whose eyes; puṇya-śloka — of famous personalities; śikhāmaṇe — O crest jewel; drakṣye — I desire to see; māyām — the illusory energy; yayā — by which; lokaḥ — the entire world; sa-pālaḥ — along with its ruling demigods; veda — considers; sat — of the absolute reality; bhidām — material differentiation.

sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; iti — in these words; īḍitaḥ — glorified; arcitaḥ — worshiped; kāmam — satisfactorily; ṛṣiṇā — by the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; mune — O wise Śaunaka; tathā iti — “so be it”; saḥ — He; smayan — smiling; prāgāt — departed; badarī-āśramam — for the hermitage Badarikāśrama; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord.

tam — that; eva — indeed; cintayan — thinking of; artham — the goal; ṛṣiḥ — the sage Mārkaṇḍeya; sva-āśrame — at his own hermitage; eva — indeed; saḥ — he; vasan — remaining; agni — in the fire; arka — the sun; soma — the moon; ambu — the water; bhū — the earth; vāyu — the wind; viyat — the lightning; ātmasu — and in his own heart; dhyāyan — meditating; sarvatra — in all circumstances; ca — and; harim — upon Lord Hari; bhāva-dravyaiḥ — with paraphernalia conceived in his mind; apūjayat — he offered worship; kvacit — sometimes; pūjām — the worship; visasmāra — he forgot; prema — of pure love of God; prasara — in the flood; samplutaḥ — being drowned.

tasya — while he; ekadā — one day; bhṛgu-śreṣṭha — O best of the descendants of Bhṛgu; puṣpabhadrā-taṭe — on the bank of the river Puṣpabhadrā; muneḥ — the sage; upāsīnasya — was performing worship; sandhyāyām — at the juncture of the day; brahman — O brāhmaṇa; vāyuḥ — a wind; abhūt — arose; mahān — great.

tam — that wind; caṇḍa-śabdam — a terrible sound; samudīrayantam — which was creating; balāhakāḥ — clouds; anu — following it; abhavan — appeared; karālāḥ — fearful; akṣa — like wagon wheels; sthaviṣṭhāḥ — solid; mumucuḥ — they released; taḍidbhiḥ — along with lightning; svanantaḥ — resounding; uccaiḥ — greatly; abhi — in all directions; varṣa — of rain; dhārāḥ — torrents.

tataḥ — then; vyadṛśyanta — appeared; catuḥ samudrāḥ — the four oceans; samantataḥ — on all sides; kṣmā-talam — the surface of the earth; āgrasantaḥ — swallowing up; samīra — of the wind; vega — impelled by the force; ūrmibhiḥ — with their waves; ugra — terrible; nakra — with sea monsters; mahā-bhaya — very fearful; āvarta — with whirlpools; gabhīra — grave; ghoṣāḥ — with sounds.

antaḥ — internally; bahiḥ — externally; ca — and; adbhiḥ — by the water; ati-dyubhiḥ — rising higher than the sky; kharaiḥ — by the fierce (winds); śata-hradābhiḥ — by lightning bolts; upatāpitam — greatly distressed; jagat — all the inhabitants of the universe; catuḥ-vidham — of four varieties (those who have taken birth from embryos, from eggs, from seeds and from perspiration); vīkṣya — seeing; saha — along with; ātmanā — himself; muniḥ — the sage; jala — by the water; āplutām — flooded; kṣmām — the earth; vimanāḥ — perplexed; samatrasat — he became fearful.

tasya — while he; evam — in this way; udvīkṣataḥ — was looking on; ūrmi — with its waves; bhīṣaṇaḥ — frightening; prabhañjana — by hurricane winds; āghūrṇita — swirled around; vāḥ — its water; mahā-arṇavaḥ — the great ocean; āpūryamānaḥ — becoming filled; varaṣadbhiḥ — with rain; ambu-daiḥ — by the clouds; kṣmām — the earth; apyadhāt — covered over; dvīpa — with its islands; varṣa — continents; adribhiḥ — and mountains; samam — together.

sa — along with; kṣmā — the earth; antarikṣam — and outer space; sa-divam — along with the heavenly planets; sa-bhā-gaṇam — along with all the celestial bodies; trai-lokyam — the three worlds; āsīt — became; saha — along with; digbhiḥ — all the directions; āplutam — flooded; saḥ — he; ekaḥ — alone; eva — indeed; urvaritaḥ — remaining; mahā-muniḥ — the great sage; babhrāma — wandered about; vikṣipya — scattering; jaṭāḥ — his matted locks; jaḍa — a dumb person; andha — a blind person; vat — like.

kṣut — by hunger; tṛṭ — and thirst; parītaḥ — enveloped; makaraiḥ — by the makaras, a species of monster crocodile; timiṅgilaiḥ — and by the timiṅgila, a variety of huge fish that eats whales; upadrutaḥ — harassed; vīci — by the waves; nabhasvatā — and the wind; āhataḥ — tormented; tamasi — in the darkness; apāre — which was unlimited; patitaḥ — having fallen; bhraman — wandering; diśaḥ — the directions; na veda — did not recognize; kham — the sky; gām — the earth; ca — and; pariśrama-iṣitaḥ — overcome by exhaustion.

kvacit — sometimes; magnaḥ — drowning; mahā-āvarte — in a great whirlpool; taralaiḥ — by the waves; tāḍitaḥ — beaten; kvacit — sometimes; yādobhiḥ — by the aquatic monsters; bhakṣyate — he was threatened with being eaten; kva api — sometimes; svayam — himself; anyonya — each other; ghātibhiḥ — attacking; kvacit — sometimes; śokam — depression; kvacit — sometimes; moham — bewilderment; kvacit — sometimes; duḥkham — misery; sukham — happiness; bhayam — fear; kvacit — sometimes; mṛtyum — death; avāpnoti — he experienced; vyādhi — by disease; ādibhiḥ — and other pains; uta — also; arditaḥ — distressed.

ayuta — tens of thousands; ayuta — by tens of thousands; varṣāṇām — of years; sahasrāṇi — thousands; śatāni — hundreds; ca — and; vyatīyuḥ — passed by; bhramataḥ — as he wandered; tasmin — in that; viṣṇu-māyā — by the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu; āvṛta — covered; ātmanaḥ — his mind.

saḥ — he; kadācit — on one occasion; bhraman — while wandering; tasmin — in that water; pṛthivyāḥ — of earth; kakudi — upon a raised place; dvijaḥ — the brāhmaṇa; nyāgrodha-potam — a young banyan tree; dadṛśe — saw; phala — with fruits; pallava — and blossoms; śobhitam — decorated.

prāk-uttarasyām — toward the northeast; śākhāyām — upon a branch; tasya — of that tree; api — indeed; dadṛśe — he saw; śiśum — an infant boy; śayānam — lying; parṇa-puṭake — within the concavity of a leaf; grasantam — swallowing; prabhayā — with His effulgence; tamaḥ — the darkness.

mahā-marakata — like a great emerald; śyāmam — dark blue; śrīmat — beautiful; vadana-paṅkajam — whose lotus face; kambu — like a conchshell; grīvam — whose throat; mahā — broad; uraskam — whose chest; su-nasam — having a beautiful nose; sundara-bhruvam — having beautiful eyebrows; śvāsa — by His breath; ejat — trembling; alaka — with the hair; ābhātam — splendid; kambu — like a conchshell; śrī — beautiful; karṇa — His ears; dāḍimam — resembling pomegranate flowers; vidruma — like coral; adhara — of His lips; bhāsā — by the effulgence; īṣat — slightly; śoṇāyita — reddened; sudhā — nectarean; smitam — His smile; padma-garbha — like the whorl of a lotus; aruṇa — reddish; apāṅgam — the corners of His eyes; hṛdya — charming; hāsa — with a smile; avalokanam — His countenance; śvāsa — by His breath; ejat — made to move; vali — by the lines; saṁvigna — contorted; nimna — deep; nābhi — with His navel; dala — like a leaf; udaram — whose abdomen; cāru — attractive; aṅgulibhyām — having fingers; pāṇibhyām — by His two hands; unnīya — picking up; caraṇa-ambujam — His lotus foot; mukhe — in His mouth; nidhāya — placing; vipra-indraḥ — the best of brāhmaṇas, Mārkaṇḍeya; dhayantam — drinking; vīkṣya — seeing; vismitaḥ — was amazed.

tat-darśanāt — by seeing the child; vīta — dispelled; pariśramaḥ — his weariness; mudā — out of pleasure; protphulla — expanded wide; hṛt-padma — the lotus of his heart; vilocana-ambujaḥ — and his lotus eyes; prahṛṣṭa — standing on end; romā — the hairs on his body; adbhuta-bhāva — about the identity of this wonderful form; śaṅkitaḥ — confused; praṣṭum — in order to inquire; puraḥ — in front; tam — of Him; prasasāra — he approached; bālakam — the child.

tāvat — at that very moment; śiśoḥ — of the infant; vai — indeed; śvasitena — with the breathing; bhārgavaḥ — the descendant of Bhṛgu; saḥ — he; antaḥ śarīram — within the body; maśakaḥ — a mosquito; yathā — just like; aviśat — entered; tatra — therein; api — indeed; adaḥ — this universe; nyastam — placed; acaṣṭa — he saw; kṛtsnaśaḥ — entire; yathā — as; purā — previously; amuhyat — he became bewildered; atīva — extremely; vismitaḥ — surprised.

kham — the sky; rodasī — the heavens and earth; bhā-gaṇān — all the stars; adri — the mountains; sāgarān — and oceans; dvīpān — the great islands; sa-varṣān — along with the continents; kakubhaḥ — the directions; sura-asurān — the saintly devotees and the demons; vanāni — the forests; deśān — the various countries; saritaḥ — the rivers; pura — the cities; ākarān — and the mines; kheṭān — the agricultural villages; vrajān — the cow pastures; āśrama-varṇa — of the various spiritual and occupational divisions of society; vṛttayaḥ — the engagements; mahānti bhūtāni — the basic elements of nature; atha — and; bhautikāni — all their gross manifestations; asau — he; kālam — time; ca — also; nānā-yuga-kalpa — of the different millennia and the days of Brahmā; kalpanam — the regulating agent; yat kiñcit — whatever; anyat — other; vyavahāra-kāraṇam — object intended for use in material life; dadarśa — he saw; viśvam — the universe; sat — real; iva — as if; avabhāsitam — manifest.

himālayam — the Himālaya Mountains; puṣpa-vahām — Puṣpabhadrā; ca — and; tām — that; nadīm — river; nija-āśramam — his own hermitage; yatra — where; ṛṣī — the two sages, Nara-Nārāyaṇa; apaśyata — he saw; viśvam — the universe; vipaśyan — while observing; śvasitāt — by the breath; śiśoḥ — of the infant; vai — indeed; bahiḥ — outside; nirastaḥ — expelled; nyapatat — he fell; laya-abdhau — into the ocean of dissolution.

tasmin — in that water; pṛthivyāḥ — of land; kakudi — on the raised place; prarūḍham — growing up; vaṭam — the banyan tree; ca — and; tat — of it; parṇa-puṭe — within the slight depression of the leaf; śayānam — lying; tokam — the child; ca — and; tat — for himself; prema — of love; sudhā — like nectar; smitena — with a smile; nirīkṣitaḥ — being looked upon; apāṅga — of the corner of His eyes; nirīkṣaṇena — by the glance; atha — then; tam — that; bālakam — infant; vīkṣya — looking upon; netrābhyām — by his eyes; dhiṣṭhitam — placed; hṛdi — within his heart; abhyayāt — ran forward; ati-saṅkliṣṭaḥ — greatly agitated; pariṣvaktum — to embrace; adhokṣajam — the transcendental Supreme Lord.

tāvat — just then; saḥ — He; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sākṣāt — directly; yoga-adhīśaḥ — the supreme master of yoga; guhā-śayaḥ — who is hidden within the heart of all living beings; antardadhe — disappeared; ṛṣeḥ — in front of the sage; sadyaḥ — suddenly; yathā — in the same way as; īhā — the object of endeavor; anīśa — by an incompetent person; nirmitā — created.

tam — Him; anu — following; atha — then; vaṭaḥ — the banyan tree; brahman — O brāhmaṇa, Śaunaka; salilam — the water; loka-samplavaḥ — the annihilation of the universe; tirodhāyi — they disappeared; kṣaṇāt — immediately; asya — in front of him; sva-āśrame — in his own hermitage; pūrva-vat — as previously; sthitaḥ — he was present.