Markandeya Recounts the Story of King Indradyumna

The rishis and the Pandavas gathered around Markandeya and asked him a question: "Is there anyone who has a longer life than you?" Markandeya told them there was. "His name was Indradyumna," he said. "He was a rajarshi — a king who lived like a sage. When his merits were exhausted, he fell down from heaven, exclaiming, 'My deeds have been lost.' He came to me and asked me whether I knew him. "I told him: 'We are not chemists. We pursue our goals by tormenting our bodies and minds. We do not perform acts for the sake of wealth. There is an owl in the Himalayas by the name of Prakarakarna. He may know you.' "But the Himalayas where he lives is a long distance away. Indradyumna became a horse and carried me to the place where the owl was. Then the rajarshi asked it: 'Do you know me?' "It reflected for some time and then said: 'No. I do not know you.' "Hearing these words, rajarshi Indradyumna again spoke to the owl. 'Is there anyone who has a longer life than you?' "The owl replied: 'There is a lake by the name of Indradyumna. A crane named Nadijangha lives there and he is older than we are. Ask him.' "Indradyumna then took me and the owl to the lake where the crane named Nadijangha lived. We asked it: 'Do you know the king named Indradyumna?' "It thought for a while and replied: 'No. I do not know King Indradyumna.' "We asked it: 'Is there anyone who has had a longer life than you?' "It replied: 'There is a tortoise named Akupura who lives in this lake. He is older than I am.' "We replied: 'Perhaps he knows about this king. Let us ask Akupura.' "The crane then spoke to the tortoise Akupura. 'We need to ask you something. Please be kind enough to come to us.' "Hearing this, the tortoise emerged from the lake and came to where we were standing, on the banks of the lake. When it came, we asked it: 'Do you know of this king named Indradyumna?' "It thought for some time and then its eyes were filled with tears. Its heart was agitated and it trembled. It almost lost its senses. Then it joined its limbs in salutation and said: 'How can I not know that king? In earlier times, when kindling the sacrificial fire, he erected sacrificial stakes one thousand times. This lake was created from the hooves of cattle he gave away as gifts. I have lived here ever since then.' "As soon as we heard these words of the tortoise, a celestial chariot descended from the world of the gods and words were heard about Indradyumna. 'Heaven is ready for you. That is your appropriate place. Your deeds are great. Go there in a cheerful frame of mind. The words about sacred deeds touch the heaven and the earth. As long as there is sound, so long does man live. Whenever a being's evil deeds are recounted on earth, he descends to the inferior worlds as long as those words are recounted. Therefore, right till the end, any man on earth should be engaged in good deeds. He should avoid evil conduct and seek refuge in dharma.' "On hearing this, the king replied: 'Wait until I have returned these seniors to the places I brought them from.' He brought me and the owl Prakarakarna to our usual places. Then he returned in that chariot to the place that was appropriate for him. "Though I have a long life," Markandeya said, "this is what I have witnessed."