Page 5 - markandeya – The death conqueror

SHRAVAN RUDRABHISHEK BLESSINGS

long time it demands. In this process of giving such attention, one has to bear and go through
the temporary pain of leaving those thoughts which divide our attention. Any greater
achievement in the inner or the outer world is the result of this undivided attention on the
chosen subject for a long time. Divided attention does not bear higher dividend and therefore
ordinary person's achievement is not very spectacular.

Keeping this principle of tapasya in mind, young and resolute Markandeya, took his parents'
blessings and reached the shores of the ocean in south India. He made a Shiva-lingam and
named it Markandeshwara. He started worshipping the Lord in that form. He took dip thrice a
day and performed a ritualistic puja with faith and love for the Lord. With only a day's puja the
inexplicable Lord was pleased with Markandeya and appeared in front of him! Markandeya
asked for the awaited boon, “May I be able to meditate on my Lord without any obstacle. May
my body be saved from death and may I have steadfast devotion in You.” Lord Shiva said,
“When death comes, remember Me, I will be there to rescue you.”

At the speculated time of his death, the Yamadutas (servants of Yama) came to Markandeya.
Burning with the power of his penance, they could not face him and so returned to their master
- Yamaraja. Now, this time, Yamaraja, himself came to fetch him. At that time Markandeya was
all set to start his ritualistic chanting of the Lord. He felt a noose round his neck. When he
opened his eyes he saw Yama standing in front of him. Markandeya requested him, “Oh
reverent Death! Do wait for a moment till I chant my Lord's Maha-mrityunjaya-stotram.”
“Death does not wait for anyone. I cannot wait for you too. Stop your bhajan, you boy! Your life
in this world is over! Be ready to die!!” said Yama tersely.

Because of the power of devotion and faith, Markandeya was not frightened even after seeing
Yamraja! The effect of absolute faith is complete fearlessness. He clung to the Shiva Lingam as
one clings to one’s mother.

Yama would not let the worship be completed, if his duty as the God of Death was to be
properly performed. Markandeya could not be allowed to live a minute longer after the
completion of the sixteenth year. Normally invisible to human eyes, this time Yama had been
forced to show himself to the young boy, by virtue of the latter's intense piety and devotion to
God. Yama threw his rope with the loop and it went and encircled Markandeya's neck and also
the Shiva Lingam. Yama pulled him along with the Shiva Lingam.

At that moment, Lord Shiva appeared from the Lingam. Snapping the noose, He kicked Yama on
his chest. The Lord of pralaya (dissolution) chased Yama with his powerful trident. After
defeating Yama in battle to the point of death, Lord Shiva then revived him, under the condition
that the devout youth would live forever. He said, “Yama, be gone! Don't touch this boy! He is
my beloved devotee. He will live forever. When I have given him protection, how dare you take
him away?”
For this act, Shiva was thereafter known also as Kaalakalaya, meaning ‘one who brought death,
to death himself’.