CHAPTER – 108
Markandeya said: – Having thus chanted the glories of the sun Vishwakarma put the sixteenth part of the effulgence of the creator of the day into his circular disc. (1) Fifteen portions of his rays being chiselled out of his body the sun assumed a highly charming form.
(2) With the effulgence that was chiselled out of his body he made the discus of Vishnu, the mace of Siva, the vehicle of the god of riches, the rod of the Regent of the dead and Sakti of (Kartikeya) the commander of the celestial army. (3) With the rays of the sun Vishwakarma made many other shining weapons for other gods for the pacification of their enemies. (4) With his effulgence thus chiselled as soon as the Divine sun appeared with not very warm rays his body became exceedingly charming. (5) Then concentrating his mind he saw his own wife carrying on penances and observing regulation in the shape of a mare never thought of by any creature. (6) Thereupon repairing to Uttarakuru and assuming the form of a horse the sun approached her. Beholding him thus approach and taking him for a stranger she turned her face towards him. Thereupon they touched each other’s nose . (7-8) The energy of the sun entered into the mare through her nostril and therefrom originated the two gods Açwinis, the foremost of the physicians. (9) They both came out of the mouth of the horse and are the sons of Martanda assuming the form of a horse. (10) From the seminal fluid came out Revanta who had in his hands dagger, bow, arrow and quiver and a coat of mail on his body and was seated on horseback. (11) Then the sun displayed his own improved form; and seeing his mild form she attained to great delight. (12) Thereupon the sun, the pilferer of water, took to his own house his loving wife Sajna who had assumed her own form. (13) Then his first son became Manu Vaivaswata and the second Yama, on account of the imprecation and favour, followed only righteousness. (14) Having his mind greatly assailed by the curse Yama liked only virtue and therefore he was called Dharmaraja or the king of virtue. (15) His father
1 The word in the text is Vrisha i.e. bull. In Puranas a bull with four legs is the emblem of righteousness.
brought about an end of his imprecation by saying “Taking the flesh of thy feet the worms shall fall down on earth”. (16) Since he had always his eye on righteousness and was impartial both towards friends and foes, the dispeller of darkness appointed him as the Regent of the dead. (17) O Vipra, being propitiated with him the Divine Sun conferred on him the dignity of a Patriarch and the sovereignty over the ancestral manes. (18) Thereupon he converted Yamuna into a tributary of Kalindi and the two Açwinis were appointed by their high-souled sire as the physicians of the celestials. (19) Revanta was appointed as the king of Guhyakas. Then the Divine Sun, worshipped of all the worlds, said to him. “O child, do thou become adorable by all the worlds. (20) Those mortals, who shall, in fear of the forest fire, enemies and robbers, remember thee, will be freed from all those great dangers. (21) Adored by them and delighted accordingly thou shalt confer on mankind peace, intellect, happiness, kingdom, recovery from diseases and advancement. (22) The highly illustrious Savarni too, the son of the imitation Sajna, shall also become the eighth Manu by name Savarni at some future period. (23) That lord Savarni, still now, is carrying on hard penances on the summit of the mount Meru. His brother, Sani, at the command of the sun, has become a planet. (24) O foremost of the twice-born, the youngest daughter, that was begotten by Aditya, has become the foremost of rivers Yamuna purifying the world. (25) I shall now relate in full the account of Manu Vaivaswata, who is high-souled and the eldest of all and whose reign is now going on.
(26) He, who listens to or reads the birth and glorious account of the gods, Vaivaswata Manu, his sons and the divine sun, is released from the impending danger and attains to great fame. Hearing of the glorious account of the Prime Deity the high-souled Martanda one has all his sins committed day and night destroyed. (27-28)