Chapter 190

“Markandeya continued, ‘Having exterminated the thieves and robbers,Kalki will, at a great Horse-sacrifice, duly give away this earth to theBrahmanas, and having established anew the blessed rectitude ordained bythe Self-create, Kalki, of sacred deeds and illustrious reputation, willenter a delightful forest, and the people of this earth will imitate hisconduct, and when the Brahmanas will have exterminated the thieves androbbers, there will be prosperity everywhere (on earth). And as thecountries of the earth will one after another be subjugated, that tigeramong Brahmanas, Kalki, having placed deer skins and lances and tridentsthere, will roam over the earth, adored by foremost Brahmanas and showinghis regard for them and engaged all the while in slaughtering thieves androbbers. And he will exterminate the thieves and robbers amidheart-rending cries of ‘Oh, father–‘ ‘Oh, mother!–‘O son!’ and thelike, and O Bharata, when sin will thus have been rooted out and virtuewill flourish on arrival of the Krita age, men will once more betakethemselves to the practice of religious rites. And in the age that willset in, viz., the Krita, well-planted gardens and sacrificial compoundsand large tanks and educational centres for the cultivation of Brahmaniclore and ponds and temples will re-appear everywhere. And the ceremoniesand rites of sacrifices will also begin to be performed. And theBrahmanas will become good and honest, and the regenerate ones, devotedto ascetic austerities, will become Munis and the asylums of ascetics,which had before been filled with wretches will once more be homes of mendevoted to truth, and men in general will begin to honour and practisetruth. And all seeds, sown on earth, will grow, and, O monarch, everykind of crop will grow in every season. And men will devotedly practisecharity and vows and observances, and the Brahmanas devoted to meditationand sacrifices will be of virtuous soul and always cheerful, and therulers of the earth will govern their kingdoms virtuously, and in theKrita age, the Vaisyas will be devoted to the practices of their order.And the Brahmanas will be devoted to their six-fold duties (of study,teaching, performance of sacrifices on their own account, officiating atsacrifices performed by others, charity and acceptance of gifts), and theKshatriyas will be devoted to feats of prowess. And Sudras will bedevoted to service of the three (high) orders,

“These, O Yudhishthira, are the courses of the Krita, the Treta, theDwapara and the succeeding age. I have now narrated to thee everything. Ihave also told thee, O son of Pandu, the periods embraced by the severalYugas as generally known. I have now told thee everything appertaining toboth the past and the future as narrated by Vayu in the Purana (whichgoes by his name and) which is adored by the Rishis. Being immortal Ihave many a time beheld and otherwise ascertained the courses of theworld. Indeed, all I have seen and felt I have now told thee. And, O thouof unfading glory, listen now with thy brothers to something else I willpresently tell thee for clearing thy doubts about religion! O thouforemost of virtuous men, thou shouldst always fix thy soul on virtue,for, O monarch, a person of virtuous soul obtaineth bliss both here andhereafter. And, O sinless one, listen to the auspicious words that I willnow speak to thee. Never do thou humiliate a Brahmana, for a Brahmana, ifangry, may by his vow destroy the three worlds.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these words of Markandeya, the royalhead of the Kurus, endued with intelligence and possessed of greatlustre, spoke these words of great wisdom, ‘O muni, if I am to protect mysubjects, to what course of conduct should I adhere? And how should Ibehave so that I may not fall away from the duties of my order?’

“Markandeya, hearing this, answered, ‘Be merciful to all creatures, anddevoted to their good. Love all creatures, scorning none. Be truthful inspeech, humble, with passions under complete control, and always devotedto the protection of thy people. Practise virtue and renounce sin, andworship thou the manes and the god and whatever thou mayst have done fromignorance or carelessness, wash them off and expiate them by charity.Renouncing pride and vanity, be thou possessed to humility and goodbehaviour. And subjugating the whole earth, rejoice thou and lethappiness be thine. This is the course of conduct that accords withvirtue. I have recited to thee all that was and all that will be regardedas virtuous. There is nothing appertaining to the past or the future thatis unknown to thee. Therefore, O son, take not to heart this presentcalamity of thine. They that are wise are never overwhelmed when they arepersecuted by Time. O thou of mighty arms, the very dwellers of heavencannot rise superior to Time. Time afflicts all creatures. O sinless one,let not doubt cross thy mind regarding the truth of what I have toldthee, for, if thou sufferest doubt to enter thy heart, thy virtue willsuffer diminution! O bull of the Bharata race, thou art born in thecelebrated family of the Kurus. Thou shouldst practise that which I havetold thee, in thought, word and deed.’

Yudhishthira answered, “O thou foremost of the regenerate ones, at thycommand I will certainly act according to all the instructions thou hastgiven me, and which, O lord, are all so sweet to the ear. O foremost ofBrahmanas, avarice and lust I have none, and neither fear nor pride norvanity. I shall, therefore, O lord, follow all that thou hast told me.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Having listened to the words of the intelligentMarkandeya, the sons of Pandu, O king, along with the wielder of the bowcalled Saranga, and all those bulls among Brahmanas, and all others thatwere there, became filled with joy. And having heard those blessed wordsappertaining to olden time, from Markandeya gifted with wisdom, theirhearts were filled with wonder.”