மார்கண்டேயன் கதை

The text of the manuscript is composed of four separate bundles of palm leaves. For preserving this order, its four parts are classified as MSS3A, MSS3B, MSS3C and MSS3D. The leaves are damaged so as their number is rarely present. They are extremely darkened by fungus infestation, and due to the presence of mid-ribs, are very twisted. The text is an epic related the story of Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ.

Abstract of Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ’s story :

Mirukaṇṭu Rṣi and Marutuvati is a couple who did not have any child. They started to pray to the god Ṥiva. As a result of their continuous prayers, Ṥiva appeared to them and offered two options to get a child : 100 fool sons who will live for long years, or a single son, good and obedient, but who will live only for 16 years. Mirukaṇṭu chose the second option and the couple wer blessed with a boy they called Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ. Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ grew up as a good boy and got the knowledge of all the treatises and arts. As years passed, Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ’s mother became more and more anxious. When he attained 16, his mother started to cry Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ asked her the reason and learnt the secret of his birth.

In order to revive his mother, Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ decided to perform continuous pūjā to Ṥiva. He visited several of Ṥiva temples where he prayed intensively. Finally, he went to Thirukaṭavūr to perform a pūjā to Ṥiva. In the mean time, in the kingdom of Yamā (god of death), Chitragupta heard about the imminent death of Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ. The representatives of Yamā left the kingdom of Yamā to search and kill Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ, but they could not attain their goal. They returned to the kingdom of Yamā and explained to Yamā their failure. Yamā decided to kill Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ. He called Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ, but the latter, concentrated in his prayers, did not react. Yamā, thus, threw a noose (pāca kayiru) to catch him. But when he pulled the cord, as Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ held tightly the Ṥiva liṅka, this is the liṅka which came to him. The liṅka opened itself and Ṥiva, very angry, appeared in front of Yamā and ordered him not to kill Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ. Yamā, hearing this, abandoned his goal to kill Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ, as well as not to destroy any Ṥiva’ devotees. Mārkaṇṭeyaṉ lived a happy and long live.