Ranking seventh in the list of the Mahapuranas the Markandeya Purana, is one of the most important, interesting and probably one of the oldest works. Its recitation frees one from the taints of sin. It was named after the sage Markandeya, who acquired its knowledge from Brahma, the creator of the universe. Once Jaimini, the author of the Mimnsa Sutra, approached him with a request to instruct him on four questions. The holy sage Markandeya directed him to the four celetial Birds that were well-versed in the sastras, for answering his questions concerning a religious enigma, a social perplexity, a moral incongruity, and a violation of natural justice. Summing up the general character of this Purana which hardly applied to the Devi Mahatmya Pro. H. H. Wilson says, "This Purana has a character different from that of all the others. It is nothing of a sectarial spirit, little of a religious tone: rarely inserting prayers and invocations to any deity, and such as are inserted are brief and moderate. It deals little in precepts, ceremonial or moral. Its leading feature is narrative; and it presents an uninterrupted succession of legends, most of which when ancient are embellished with new circumstances, and when partake so far of the spirit of the old, that they are disinterested creations of the imagination having no particular motive, being designed to recommend no special doctrine or observance. Whether they are derived from any other source or whether they are original inventions, it is not possible to ascertain. They are most probably for the greater part at least original; and the whole has been narrated in the compiler’s own manner; a manner superior to that of the puranas in general with exception of the Bhagavata." The Markandeya Purana has come down to us in three editions, published at Bombay, Poona and Calcutta. It is difficult to answer which edition comes closest to the archetype of Markandeya. The Calcutta edition ends abruptly in chapter 136, leaving ‘Dama’ acquiescing tamely in the fight of his father’s murderer, Vapusmat. The other version is found in the Bombay and the Poona editions and carries the story on till Dama takes vengeance on Vapusmat. Dr. K. M. Banerjee considered that the abruptness and incompleteness were strong evidences of the genuineness of the concluding of the Calcutta edition. But Pro. F. E. Pargiter considered the concluding of the other editions as more authentic. The Markandeya Purana consists of nine thousand verses, spread over one hundred and thirty seven chapters. An English translation of the Markandeya Purana was done by Prof. F. E. Pargiter, which appeared in the Bioliotheca Indica Series, Calcutta from 1880 to 1905. Some chapters on life after death were also translated into German.
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