Sage Markandeya and Direct Vision of God's Illusion

            In ancient times, Mrikandu sage and His wife Marudvati worshiped Lord Shiva with the desire of a son. Pleased with their austerities, Lord Shiva appeared before them and asked what kind of son they desire - a long-lived foolish son or a short-lived wise son. Mrikandu sage wanted a short-lived wise son. Markandeya was born by the blessing of Lord Shiva.

            The great, eternal sage Markandeya was an ancient Hindu sage and was born in the dynasty of sage Bhrigu. Markandeya is a prominent devotee of both Shiva and Vishnu. This is mentioned in several Puranas. Markandeya's absolute lifespan was only sixteen years. He was a devotee of Lord Shiva. At the age of sixteen, when his death was imminent, He started worshiping a Shivling. When Yamraj came to take him, he was reluctant to leave that Shivling. When Yamraj tied Markandeya with his rope, Markandeya grabbed the Shivalinga and continued to pray to Lord Mahadev for help. Bhaktavatsal Lord Bholanath saw the plight of the devotees and suddenly appeared from Shivling. Angry Lord Shiva forbade Yamraj. Yam is defeated and leaves his wrath on Markandeya and returns to Yamlok. Lord Shiva defeated Yamraj and became known as Mrityunjaya. The sage Markandeya attained immortality by the boon of Lord Devadidev Mahadev. He is thought to be alive on earth today. The Mahamrityunjaya mantra is believed to have been composed by the sage Markandeya.

                Sage Markandeya was the best of the Bhrigu dynasty. Benefiting from bi-racial reform from his father, Markandeya studied the Vedas and was engaged in austerities and Vedic studies with religion. He began to practice Mahavratacharan. Gradually he became a Jatadhari, wearing tree bark, holds Kamandalu, Danda (stick), Upabita, Yajnasutra. He used to collect alms in the morning and evening and offer it to His Guru (spiritual master). He would eat after giving permission of His Guru, or He would fast.

            Engaged in this type of austerities and Vedic recitations, He worshiped Lord Hrishikesh (Sri Hari) for millions of years. He visited Brahma, Shiva, various ghosts. By concentrating on Mahayoga, He was engaged in austerities for six Mannantwar. Hearing this, Devaraj Indra became frightened of his austerities in the seventh Mannantar and began to disturb Him. Gandharv, Apsara, Devakanya, Lobh, Madan all started sending one by one. But just as the boy fled when he saw the snake, so the followers sent by Devaraj Indra one by one fled with the spunk of Mahamuni. Eventually, Lord Sri Hari appeared in two forms, Nar-Narayan before Him.

                After meeting with Lord Nar-Narayan Himself, Markandeya sage's joy knew no bounds. He recited various hymns of Lord Sri Hari (Narayan). Satisfied with the hymn, Nar-Narayan said to sage Markandeya, You have attained perfection by austerities, the study of the Vedas, rules, devotion to me, and concentration of mind. I want to gift (boon) you? Tell me what you want? Sage Markandeya replied, What else can there be after getting you? However, if you want to give something, I express my desire to see the illusion created by you in this Universe. The Lord said, OK so be it and He became disappear.

                One evening, Sage Markandeya was sitting at Puspabhadratat (flower garden). Suddenly Bhim Prabhanjan (cataclysm) arose. The blaze was about to swallow loudly. At the same time, there was a strong wind and a loud roar of the rain. In a short time, the mountains, the land, the sky, such Tribhuvan (heaven, earth, the abyss) sank to the bottom of that surging ocean. Darkness all around, lightning, the roar of the sea, just water and water as far as the eye can see. Only that great sage was left alone.

                Feel hunger and thirst, sage is running like a blind man, but not able to determine the direction, the sky, the land of the earth. On the other hand, hungry crocodiles, sharks, such big water monsters are about to swallow him. The sage is running in fear - there is no end to that run. Thus for many years, sage Markandeya continued to travel in a fearful, insane, and aimless manner. He could not decide what to do, where to go?

                    While traveling in this way, one day Sage saw an amazing sight. On the high ground in the middle of the sea, He saw a banyan tree adorned with fruits and flowers. In one of the leaves of that banyan tree, a so beautiful child is playing. Not to mention his appearance. It was as billions of sun and moonlights were coming out of his body and destroying the darkness. Magnificent eyes, charming form, flowers like body, - Ah! what a beauty? How much honey is dripping from his lotus feet - sucking endlessly with his own mouth.

                    As soon as the sage approached the baby, He entered the baby's stomach/belly like a mosquito with the baby's breath. He saw the universe as it was before the cataclysm. The island, the country, the forest, the river, the mountains, the sky, the city, everything present in the belly of that boy, the world was sighting in the belly of the child. The sage came out with breathing again from the belly. Once again Markandeya floated in that rough sea. Then Lord restrained his illusion. The sage saw that he was sitting in his ashram again. Couldn't decide anything. But wanting to vision of the Lord's illusion, Markandeya felt ashamed.