Solah saal ki umr mein marna tay tha. Aur ladka muskura raha tha.
Rishi Mrikandu aur unki patni ke koi santaan nahi thi. Unhone badi bhakti se Shiv ki prarthana ki. Shiv prakat hue. Vikalp diya — ek mand-buddhi, aam beta jo sau saal jiyega, ya ek tejasvi, chamakdaar beta jo sirf solah saal jiyega. Dampati ne ek pal nahi socha. 'Humein sau saal ka andhera nahi,' unhone kaha, 'solah saal ka ujaala chaahiye.' Usi vardaan se Markandeya ka janm hua — Vedon ka gyaata, Shiv ka ananya bhakt. Abhi yuva hote hue hi shastron mein nipun.
Lekin jaise-jaise uska solahvaan janmdin paas aaya, mata-pita ki khushi dukh mein badal gayi. Woh use bataane ka saahas nahi kar sake. Phir bhi Markandeya ne unke aansu dekh liye. Dheere se poocha — kyun? Jab unhone sach bataaya — tumhaara jeevan solah saal mein khatm ho jaayega — to ladka ghabraaya nahi. Balki muskuraaya. 'To main apne aakhri din unhi ke saath bitaaunga jinhone mujhe jeevan diya,' usne kaha. Aur poore dil se Shiv ki pooja karne mandir chala gaya.
Us din se usne apna jeevan Shiv ko arpan kar diya. Kehte hain, swayam Brahma ne use Mahamrityunjaya Mantra ka updesh diya — 'Om Tryambakam Yajaamahe' — woh mantra jo mrityu ko bhi jeet sakta hai. Woh din-raat uska jaap karta. Bel-patr chadhaata. Shivling se lipat kar kehta — 'Mahadev, aapke siva mera koi nahi.' Uski bhakti itni prachand thi ki Yam ke doot uske paas aane se darte the.
Antim din aaya. Markandeya ne nadi kinare ret se ek Shivling banaaya. Uske saamne baith kar bina ruke 'Om Namah Shivaya' japne laga. Theek niyat samay par aakaash kaala pad gaya. Yam swayam apne bhainse par aaye. Unka mrityu-paash jhoolta hua. 'Tumhaara samay khatm hua, ladke,' unhone kaha. Paash Markandeya ki gardan mein daal diya.
Lekin Markandeya ne — dar aur prem mein — Shivling ko apni baahon mein bhar liya. Poori taakat se pakad liya. Yam ne paash kheencha. Aur paash sirf ladke ke ird-gird nahi — ling ke ird-gird bhi kas gaya. Us pal ling andhi roshni ke saath phat pada. Shiv baahar nikle. Krodhit. Teesra netra dhahak raha tha. Yam jhuk bhi nahi paaye the ki Shiv ne unhe baayein pair se laat maari. Itni taakatwar laat ki mrityu-devta nirjeev gir pade.
Shiv ka woh roop Kalantaka kehlata hai — kaal ka ant karne waala. Unke krodh se teenon lok kaanp uthe. Lekin phir samasya khadi hui — Yam ke marne par koi mar nahi sakta tha. Srishti ka dam ghutne laga. Saare devta haath jod kar aaye. 'Mahadev, krodh shaant keejiye! Yam ke bina santulan bigad jaayega.' Shiv ka krodh shaant hua. Unhone Yam ko jeevit kiya. Kshama kar diya. Phir Markandeya ki taraf mude — jo abhi bhi ling se lipat tha. Aashirvaad diya — 'Tum hamesha jeevit rahoge. Shareer se yuva, dil se gyaani. Ek Chiranjivi — amaron mein se ek.'
Katha yahin khatm nahi hoti. Markandeya ko Chiranjiviyon mein gina jaata hai — woh rishi jo aaj bhi jeevit maane jaate hain. Bhagavata Purana mein varnan hai — unhone mahapralaya dekha. Jab saari srishti jal mein doob gayi, unhone ek bargad ke patte par sote hue baalak Vishnu ke darshan kiye. Unhi ke naam par Markandeya Purana hai — jisme Devi Mahatmya ka varnan hai. Mahabharata mein ve Yudhishthira ko Vana Parva mein updesh dete hain. Mrityu ko jeetne waala rishi — jo kaal se bhi bada ho gaya.
Kehete hain, Markandeya aaj bhi jeevit hai — duniya ke kisi chhupe kone mein dhyaan karta hua. Uski katha Mahamrityunjaya Mantra ki parampara mein gaayi jaati hai. Bhakti ka sabse seedha paath — jab mrityu tumhe lene aaye, to divya ko thaam lo. Aur chhodna mat.
Us laat ke baare mein sochiye — Shiv ne apne baayein pair se Yam ko maara tha. Mrityu swayam nirjeev gir padi. Ek pal ke liye teenon lokon mein koi nahi mara. Buddhe jeete rahe, rogiyon ki saansein chalti rahi. Srishti ka dam ghutne laga. Tab devta samjhe — mrityu bhi zaroori hai. Bina ant ke, aarambh ka koi mol nahi.
Isiliye Shiv ne Yam ko jeevit kiya — lekin Markandeya ko amar kar diya. Ek ko uska kaam wapas mila, doosre ko uski bhakti ka phal. Nyaay bhi ho gaya, kripa bhi.
Is katha ke paatra
- Markandeya
- Shiva
- Yama
- Mrikandu
