1-Brahm Puraan,  2-Padm Puraan,  3-Vishnu Puraan,  4-Shiv Puraan,  5-Bhaagvat Puraan,
6-Naarad Puraan,  7-Maarkandeya Puraan,  8-Agni Puraan,  9-Bhavishya Puraan,
10-Brahm Vaivart Puraan,  11-Ling Puraan,  12-Varaah Puraan,  13-Skand Puraan,
14-Vaaman Puraan,  15-Koorm Puraan,  16-Matsya Puraan,  17-Garud Puraan,  18-Brahmaand Puraan
 

1-Srishti Khand

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Maarkandeya Muni

Bheeshm Jee said - "Brahman, You told me about Pushkar Teerth, and that Maarkandeya Rishi told Raam to do Pind-Daan for His father Dasharath there. I want to know that how did they meet, what did he preach to Raam, whose son is Maarkandeya, and how did he get this name etc."

Pulastya Jee said - "In an ancient Kalp, there was a Muni named Mrikandu who was the son of Maharshi Bhrigu. He used to live in forest with his wife. He got a son while living in forest. Gradually he got 5-year old. He was a very qualitative boy. One day when he was playing, a Siddh Gyaanee looked at him and thought about his life. The father asked him - "What is the total age of my son?" Siddh said - "He is left with only six months. This is the truth and you should not be sad about it."

Hearing this the father did his Upanayan Sanskaar and instructed him to greet every Muni he came across with. He did that happily. Gradually 5 months and 25 days passed. Once Saptarshi happened to pass from that path. When the child saw them, he greeted them also. They blessed him, "Aayushmaan Bhav, Saumya" (O beautiful, have long life) and then thought about his age. They got very sad to know that there remained only five days for him to live. They took that child to Brahmaa Jee, and greeted him. The child also greeted him. Brahmaa also blessed him with long life. Rishi got very happy to hear this blessings.

Brahmaa Jee asked - "Why have you come here and who is this child?" Rishi said - "This child is Mrikandu's son. His age is getting over. By nature he greets everybody. One day we were passing from that side, he was roaming around, that he greeted us also. We automatically blessed him with long life saying "Chiraayurbhava, Putra". You have also blessed him like that, then why we all should be called liar." Brahmaa said - "Hey Rishi, This boy will be like me in age and will survive several Kalp surrounded by the greatest Muni."

After hearing this Saptarshi sent him to Prithvi and they themselves went to Teerth Yaatraa (pilgrimage). Maarkandeya said to his father - "Those Muni took me to Brahm Lok. There Brahmaa bestowed me for long life. After that Rishi also bestowed me with many Var, so you should not worry now about my life. I have got the age like Brahmaa. Now I will go to Pushkar Teerth because it is like Brahm Lok on Prithvi." Mrikandu took a sigh of relief and happiness, he said - "Today I am blessed that you had Darshan of Brahmaa Jee in Brahm Lok, now you go to Pushkar and have his Darshan there. Who has had his Darshan, he does not go through old age and death. What I couldn't do, you did it without any difficulty." Maarkandeya then went to Pushkar and established Maarkandeya Aashram there.

Raam Performs Shraaddh

Now you listen to Raam's incident. When Raam arrived in Atri Rishi's Aashram from Chitrakoot along with Seetaa and Lakshman, He asked him - "Bhagavan, Which is that place where one does not have to tolerate the separation of his dear people? If there is such a place, please tell me." Atri Muni said - "There is one place established by my father [Atri was Brahmaa Jee's son], that is Pushkar. There are two famous mountains there - Maryaadaa Parvat and Yagya Parvat. In between them there are three ponds whose names are Jyeshth Pushkar, Madhyam Pushkar and Kanishth Pushkar. You go there and satisfy your father Dasharath by offering him Pind-Daan. This Teerth stays till Pralaya (deluge) occurs, thus Brahmaa Jee says."

Raam arrived in Pushkar, near Yagya mountain, crossing Rikshvaan mountain, Vidishaa city and Charmanvatee River. There He took bath in Madhyam Pushkar and did Tarpan for His ancestors. The then Maarkandeya Muni came there. Seeing him Raam greeted him and said - "I am Raam, Dashrath's son. I have come here at Maharshi Atri's advice to see A-Viyogaa named pond. Please tell me where is that place?" Maarkandeya said - "If you will go a little further you will see the A-Viyogaa pond. One meets everybody there whether he or she is in this Lok or in other Lok."

Hearing this Raam remembered His father Dasharath, Bharat, Shatrughn, mothers and people of Ayodhyaa. In the meantime evening set in so He did Sandhyaa there and slept there. When the last leg of night was passing, Raam dreamed Himself with others in Ayodhyaa. Lakshman and Seetaa also saw Raam in the same guise. When they got up in the morning they told everything to Muni. Muni said - "This all was truth. But if you see a dead person in dream, you should perform Shraaddh for him. You have already had the separation from your father, now you are separated from your mothers and Bharat too for 14 years. We six Braahman - Jamadagni, Bharadwaaj, Lomash, Devaraat, Shameek and myself are here to perform Shraaddh for your ancestors, so do that. You get ready with Shraaddh materials, we come back after taking bath in Jyeshth Pushkar."

Raam sent Lakshman to bring fruits for Shraadh - tangerine, jackfruit, sweet Bel, Singhaadaa, and other seasonal fruits. Lakshman brought all things and Jaanakee cooked the food. Raam also took bath in A-Viyogaa pond and waited for Muni to come there.

In the afternoon all gathered and performed Shraaddh. Seeing Muni coming there Jaanakee hid behind a bush. Raam fed the Braahman and completed the process of Shraaddh. Later Raam asked Seetaa that why did She hide behind the bush? She said - "What I saw, I tell you now. As you pronounced the names, Mahaaraaj came here along with two other persons who were like him. They all were together with Braahman's body. I saw Pitar in Braahman's body parts so I felt shy and hid behind the bush. How could I stand in front of Mahaaraaj?" Raam got very pleased hearing this. All took food and passed the night there only.

Next day they arrived at Jyeshth Pushkar, as Raghunaath stood in the east of Pushkar, He heard a Devdoot saying - "Stay here for some time more, because this Teerth is very difficult to get. You have to serve Devtaa's purpose." Raam said to Lakshman - "Brahmaa Jee has obliged us. I wish to live here for a month and observe a Vrat to cleanse my body. After a month they came to Maryaadaa Parvat where Shiv's temple existed. He prayed Shiv there. Raam's prayer to Shiv is given on p 106-108] Shiv Jee appeared before Him and blessed Him.

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