Vaishampayana said: - -
1. The Rishis and the Pandavas again asked Markandeya, “Is there any who possesses longer life than you?”
2. He told them, “Yes, there is a royal sage named Indradhyumna. His virtue being diminished, he fell from heaven crying “my achievements are lost.” He came to me and asked, “Do you know me?”
3. To him said I, “From our eager desire to acquire virtue we do not stay at one place. We live for one night only in one village or in one town. A man like us Therefore, can not possibly know who you are. The fasts and vows that we are to observe make us weak in body, Therefore, we are unable to follow worldly pursuits to earn wealth.”
4. He said to me, “Is there any one who possesses a longer life than you?” I replied, “There lives an owl named Pravarakama on the Himalayas. He is older than I. He may know you. The part of the Himalayas where he lives is far from this place.”
5. He became a horse and carried me to the place where that owl lived. Then he asked it, “Do you know me?”
6. It reflected for some time and then said, “No, I do not know you”. Having been thus addressed, the royal sage Indradhyumna asked the owl,
7. “Is there any one who possesses a longer life than you?” Having been thus addressed, it said, “Yes, there is a lake called Indradhyumna; in it lives a crane named Nadijangha. He is older than we. You can ask him,” Thereupon Indradhyumna taking both myself and the owl went to the lake where Nadijangha lived.
8. We asked the crane, “Do you know this king Indradhyumna.” He reflected for a moment and then said, “I do not know the king Indradyumna.” Thereupon we asked him, “Is there any one more long-lived than you?” He said, “Yes. Here lives in this lake a tortoise named Akupara. He is older than I. He might know something of this king. Therefore, ask Akupara.”
9. Then that crane asked the tortoise Akupara. He said, “Our intention is to ask you something. Please come to us.” Hearing this, the tortoise came out of the lake to the bank where we all were. When he came, we asked him, “Do you know this king Indradyumna?”
10. He (tortoise) reflected for a moment. His eyes were filled with tears and his mind was much agitated. He trembled all over his body and became almost senseless. Then with joined hands he said, “Why don’t I know this king? He placed sacrificial stakes one thousand time when kindling the sacrificial fire.
11. This lake was made by the feet of the king given away by this king to the Brahmanas as Dakshinas when the sacrifice was completed. I have lived here ever since.
12. When we were hearing all this from the tortoise, a celestials car came there from the celestials region and an invisible voice was heard which said, “Come and go to the place, you desire to obtain in heaven. Your achievements are great. Therefore, cheerfully come to the place (set apart) for you.”
13. Here occur these Slokas, “The report of virtuous acts spreads all over the earth and it reaches heaven. As long as the report lasts so long it is said that he lives in heaven.
14. The man, the report of whose evil deeds is talked about, is said to fall down; and he lives in the lower region as long as that evil report lasts.
15. Therefore, a man should be virtuous if he desires to obtain heaven. Abandoning a sinful mind, he should seek refuge in virtue.”
16. Having heard this, the king said, “Let the car stay here so long I do not take back the old persons from the places whence I brought them.”
17. Having brought me and the owl Pravarakama to our respective places, he went away in that car to the place which was a fit region for him. Long-lived as I am saw all this.
Vaishampayana said: - -
Thus Markandeya told all this to the Pandavas.
The Pandavas said: - -
18. O blessed one, you acted properly in causing king Indradhyumna who had fallen from heaven to regain it. He (Markandeya) said, “The son of Devaki Krishna also had thus rescued the royal sage Nriga who had fallen into hell. He caused him to regain heaven.
Thus ends the one hundred and ninety-ninth chapter, the history of Indrodumna, in the Markandeya Samashya of the Vana Parva.