Vaisampayana said, “The sons of Pandu and those Rishis then asked
Markandeya, ‘Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than
thou?’ And Markandeya answered them, saying, ‘There is without doubt, a
royal sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished,
he fell from heaven, crying, ‘My achievements are lost!’ And he came unto
me and asked, ‘Dost thou know me?’ And I answered him, saying, ‘From our
anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves to any
home. We live but for a night in the same village or town. A person like
us, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits. The fasts and vows we
observe render us weak in body and unable to follow any worldly pursuits
on our own behalf. Hence, one like us cannot possibly know thee.’ He then
asked me, ‘Is there any one who is longerlived than thou’? I answered
him, saying, ‘There liveth on the Himavat an owl of the name of
Pravarakarna. He is older than I. He may know thee. The part of the
Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.’ And at this Indradyumna
became a horse and carried me to where that owl lived and the king asked
the owl, saying, ‘Dost thou know me?’ And the owl seemed to reflect for a
moment and then said unto the king, ‘I do not know thee.’ And the royal
sage Indradyumna thereupon asked the owl, ‘Is there any one who is older
than thou?’ And thus asked the owl answered, saying, There is a lake of
the name of Indradyumna. In that lake dwelleth a crane of the name of
Nadijangha. He is older than we. Ask thou him.’ And at this king
Indradyumna taking both myself and the owl went to that lake where the
crane Nadijangha dwelt. And that crane was asked by us, ‘Dost thou know
the king Indradyumna?’ And the crane thereupon seemed to reflect a little
and then said, ‘I do not know king Indradyumna.’ And the crane was asked
by us, ‘Is there any one who is older than thou?’ And he answered us,
saying, ‘There dwelleth in this very lake a tortoise of the name of
Akupara. He is older than I. He may know something of this king.
Therefore, enquire ye of Akupara. And then that crane gave information to
the tortoise, saying, ‘It is intended by us to ask thee something. Please
come to us.’ And hearing this the tortoise came out of the lake to that
part of the bank where we all were and as he came there we asked him,
saying, ‘Dost thou know this king Indradyumna?’ And the tortoise
reflected for a moment. And his eyes were filled with tears and his heart
was much moved and he trembled all over and was nearly deprived of his
senses. And he said with joined hands, ‘Alas, do I not know this one? He
had planted the sacrificial stake a thousand times at the time of
kindling the sacrificial fire. This lake was excavated by the feet of the
cows given away by this king unto the Brahmanas on the completion of the
sacrifice. I have lived here ever since.’ And after the tortoise had said
all this, there came from the celestial regions a car. And an aerial
voice was heard which said, addressing Indradyumna, ‘Come thou and obtain
the place thou deservest in heaven! Thy achievements are great! Come thou
cheerfully to thy place! Here also are certain slokas: The report of
virtuous deeds spreadeth over the earth and ascendeth to heaven. As long
as that report lasts, so long is the doer said to be in heaven. The man
whose evil deeds are bruited about, is said to fall down and live, as
long as that evil report lasts in the lower regions. Therefore should man
be virtuous in his acts if he is to gain Heaven. And he should seek
refuge in virtue, abandoning a sinful heart.’
“And hearing these words, the king said, ‘Let the car stay here as long
as I do not take these old persons to the places whence I brought them.
And having brought me and the owl Pravarakarna to our respective places,
he went away, riding on that car, to the place that was fit for him.
Being longlived, I witness all this.”
Vaisampayana continued, “It was thus that Markandeya narrated all this
unto the son of Pandu. And after Markandeya finished, the sons of Pandu
said, ‘Blessed be thou! Thou hadst acted properly in causing king
Indradyumna who had fallen from Heaven to regain his sphere!’ And
Markandeya answered them, saying, ‘Devaki’s son, Krishna, also had thus
raised the royal sage Nriga who had sunk in hell and caused him to regain
Heaven!’”