The Lullaby of Mother Madālasā
From The Markandeya Purana
This episode called मदालसोपाख्यानम् (the madālasopākhyānam) is from the mārkanḍeya purāṇa. Madālasā was an evolved soul and had a great knowledge of the vedantic truths. She was the queen of King Kuvayalaśva. The couple had a son and King named him vikrānta (विक्रान्त – Courageous). Listening to the name, the queen laughed ( as all names and forms are impermanent ). Whenever the baby cried, queen Madālasā used to sing a lullaby that was pregnant with the teachings of Vedanta. She imparted the knowledge of the Self to the child through her lullabies and other teachings. As a result of the impact made by the Mother’s lullaby, the child grew up and became an ātma-jnāni ( self-realized ). The couple had 3 other children name subāhu (सुबाहु) , śatṛmardana (शत्रुमर्दन) and alarka (अलर्क). subāhu and śatṛmardana also became self-realized by the teachings of their mother. Here is the self-knowledge soaked lullaby sung by mother Madālasā :
शुद्धोऽसि रे तात ! न तेऽस्ति नाम कृतं हि ते कल्पनयाधुनैव । पञ्चात्मकं देहमिदं तवैतन्नैवास्य त्वं रोदिषि कस्य हेतोः ॥O Child ! For what reason are you crying? Do not cry. You are eternally pure. You have no name or form since you are existence, consciousness and bliss. The name and form have been superimposed on you as you identified yourself with this body made up of the five elements. As a result, you are experiencing sorrow. The names and forms are impermanent. Don’t cry.
न वा भवान् रोदिति वै स्वजन्मा शब्दोऽयमासाद्य महीशसूनुम् । विकल्प्यमाना विविधा गुणास्तेऽगुणाश्च भौताः सकलेन्द्रियेषु ॥Even if you are not crying on purpose, your indriyās, the instruments of action are producing the sound of crying based on their properties. The ignorance of the Self is called māyā and it causes the creation to be “born”. Indriyās are further modifications of this creation. Realize that you are not the indriyās. Don’t cry.
भूतानि भूतैः परिदुर्बलानि वृद्धिं समायान्ति यथेह पुंसः । अन्नाम्बुपानादिभिरेव कस्य न तेऽस्ति वृद्धिर्न च तेऽस्ति हानिः ॥The 5 great elements (pañca mahā bhūtas) increase and decrease through the combination they go through among themselves ( through the process of quintuplication – pancīkaraṇam ). The body, made up of the 5 elements, consumes food and water and grows and decays. But you have no growth or decay since you are the ātman, not this body.
त्वं कञ्चुके शीर्यमाणे निजेऽस्मिंस्तस्मिंश्च देहे मूढतां मा व्रजेथाः । शुभाशुभैः कर्मभिर्देहमेतन्मदादिमूढैः कञ्चुकस्तेऽपिनद्धः ॥The armor called this body is worn by you, the eternal ātman. This armor is sure to decay. Do not become falsely attached with this body. This body is obtained due to the results of puṇya and pāpa karma performed due to ignorance and is subject to the six-fold enemies like kāma, krodha. You are beyond this body.
तातेति किञ्चित्तनयेति किञ्चिदम्बेति किञ्चिद्दयितेति किञ्चित् । ममेति किञ्चिन्न ममेति किञ्चित्त्वं भूतसङ्घं बहुमानयेथाः ॥Birth after birth, due to the false attachment to this body, you become deluded with the ideas of “I” and “mine” and attach yourself with a father sometimes, with a son sometimes, with a mother sometimes, with a wife sometimes, with a friend sometimes and with an enemy sometimes.
दुःखानि दुःखोपशमाय भोगान् सुखाय जानाति विमूढचेताः । तान्येव दुः खानि पुनः सुखानि जानात्यविद्वान् सुविमूढचेताः ॥The deluded ones think that the momentary sorrows are real and pursue equally momentary pleasures that appear to be the antidotes for such sorrows. However, they do not realize that it is one and the same temporary object that they call as both pain and pleasure. Such people are called avidvāns – the ignorant ones. The ones endowed with knowledge and discrimination, the vidvāns, do not fall into this trap of momentary pain and pleasure.
हासोऽस्थिसन्दर्शनमक्षियुग्ममत्युज्ज्वलं तर्जनमङ्गनायाः । कुचादिपीनं पिशितं घनं तत्स्थानं रतेः किं नरकं न योषित् ॥The deluded ones run after the physical appearance of the opposite sex and become entrapped in continuous dual cycles of pain and pleasure. Consequently, they go through heaven and hell continuously in an eternal cycle of birth and death. The wise realize that the body is only made of flesh which is a modification of the 5 elements and do not get deluded by it.
यानं क्षितौ यानगतञ्च देहं देहेऽपि चान्यः पुरुषो निविष्टः । ममत्वबुद्धिर्न तथा यथा स्वे देहेऽतिमात्रं बत मूढतैषा ॥The vehicle (यानं) called the body is obtained on this earth in every birth. The body is subject to changes like birth, growth and decay. There is also an eternal entity called ātman or Purusha present in the body as the consciousness principle who is not subject to these modifications. The real ignorance and foolishness is in identifying oneself with the transient body but not with the eternal ātman, the Self. Realize that you are the supreme Purusha, the eternal one and not the body. Why are you crying ? Don’t cry.
Transcribed and meaning written by : Srinivas Mallapragada
