At the time of Pralaya or the Great Annihilation at the Kalpaantara, Chandra, Surya and Vayu faced near-extinction as also of the Sthaavara-Jangamaas /moveable and immobile Beings. That was the time when Pralaya kaala Surya became too fierce and there were cloud-bursts and severe lightnings. Pralayaagni surrounded the entire Universe and there were indeed no survivors, except Markandeya who was struggling to swim against the hurricane and thunder storm. Suddenly he heard a whisper-like voice which said: come near the Vata Vriksha and come to my refuge! The Maharshi wondered as to where the feeble voice emerged from. He was astonished as he looked up the high and sprawling Banyan where he visioned a charming Balarupadhari Krishna Bhagavan with four hands armed with Shankha-Chakra-Gada-Saranga with peacock feathers on his golden Kireeta, Vanamaala, sparkling ear-rings and Koustubha Mani! Markandeya was highly refreshed from his physical exhaustion and fatigue as he visioned the fantastic appearance but continued to ruminate it as a false hallucination! He rubbed on his eyes repeatedly in utter disbelief.Then came the profound voice saying: My child, you are too tired; come near to me for solace and enter into my body for soothing relaxation. On hearing the Celestial Voice of Bala Gopala, the Maharshi turned motionless and speechless and entered Bala Krishna’s face as though in a state of stupor and blankness and gradually entered in Paramatma’s belly where he saw for himself Pancha Bhutas, Sapta Lokas of Bhur-Bhuvar-Swar-Mahar-Jana-Tapas and Satya; Sapta Paataalas viz. Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Pataala, Rasaatala and Mahatala; Sapta Dwipas viz. Jambu, Plaksha, Shaalmala, Kusha, Krouncha, Shaaka and Pushkara; Sapta Samudras, Sapta Parvatas, Indra and other Devas, Siddha, Chaarana, Naga, Muni , Yaksha, Apsara and finally the Charaachara Srishti! Markandeya gradually recovered semi-consciousness and extolled Bala Mukunda as follows:

Devadeva Jagannatha Maayaa Balavapurdhara,

Traahimaam Chaaru Padmaaksha Duhkhitam Sharanaagatam/ ------

Tavodarey cha Devesa mayaadrushto charaacharam,

Vismitoham vishannascha traahimaam Purushotthama/

Samsaaresmin -niraalambey praseeda Purushotthama

Praseeda Vibhudhassreshta praseeda vibhudapriya/

Praseeda vibhudhaamnaatha praseeda vibhutaalaya,

Praseeda sarva Lokesa Jagat Kaarana Kaarana/

Praseeeda Sarvakruddeva Praseeda mama Bhudhara,

Praseeda salilaavaasa praseeda Madhusudana/

Praseeda Kamalaakaantya Praseeda Tridasheswara,

Praseeda Kamsakesighna praseedaarishta naashana/

Praseeda Krishna Daityaghna praseeda danujaantaka,

Praseeda Mathuraavaasa Praseeda Yadunandana/

Praseeda Shakraavaraja Praseeda varadaavyaya,

Twam Mahi twam Jalam Devah twamagnistwam sameeranah/

Twam nabhastwam Manaschaiva twamahankaara eva cha,

Twam Buddhih Prakrutischaiva Satvaadyaastwam Jagatpatey/

Purushastwam Jagadvyaapi Purushaadapichotthamah,

Twamindrayaani Sarvaani Shabdaadyaa vishayaah Prabho/

Twam Dikpaalascha Dharmaascha Vedaa Yagnaah sadakshinaah,

Twamindrastwam Shivo Devastwam Havistwam Hutaashanah/

Twam Yamah Pitruraardevah twam Rakshaadhipatih Swayam,

Varunastwamapaam Naathah twam Vaayustwam Dhaneswarah/

Twameesaanas twamanantastwam Ganeshascha ,

Shanmukhah Vasavastwam tathaa Rudraaptwa maadityaascha khecharaah/

Daanavaastwam tathaa Yakshaastwam Daityaah Samarudganaah,

Siddhaas –charapsaraso Naagaa Gandharwaastwam sa Chaaranaah/

PitaroVaakakhilyaascha Prajaanaam patayochyuta,

Munayastwamrushi ganaastwa maswinou Nisaacharaah/

Anyaascha Jaatayastwamhi yatkinchitjeeva sanjnitam,

Kinchaatra bahunoktena Brahamaastamba gocharam/

Bhutam Bhavyam Bhavishyam cha twam Jagatsa charaacharam,

Yatthe rupam Param Deva kutasthamachalam dhruvam/

Brahmaadyaastanna jaananti kathamanyelpamedhasah,

Deva Shuddhaa swabhaavosi Nityastwam Prakrutey parah/

Avyaktah Shaaswatonantah Sarvavyaapi Maheswarah,

Twamaakaashah parah Shaanto Aaajastwam Vibhuravyayah/



(Deva Deva! Mayaa Baala Murtidhara! Padmaaksha! Kindly save me as I am shattered. I have visualized the ‘Charaachara Jagat’ in your belly. I am indeed shocked and frightened. Please show me mercy as I am in a confused situation. You are the cause of existence. You are the Pancha Bhutaas of Earth-Water-Light and heat-Air and Sky; You are the Ahamkaara or Self-Recognition and Ego; You are the Maha-Tatwa and Buddhi; the Prakriti; You are the Triguna Swarupa or of Satwa-Rajo-Tamo Gunaas; You are the Dikpaalakas or the Chiefs of the Ten-Direcrtions; the Ashtaa Vasus; Ekaadasha Rudras; Dwadasaadityas; Gandharvas; Devas and Danavas; Forty Nine Marudganaas; Pitru Devataas; Vaalakhilyaas; Prajaapatis; Sapta Rishis; two Ashvinis; Unimaginable number of Jeevas; the Visionary of Brahmaadi Beings; Bhuta-Bhavya-Bhavishya Rupa; and ‘Kutastha’ beyond imagination of even Brahma downward; the Nitya-Suddha-Buddha-Mukta-Swarupa; Avyakta- Shaswata-Ananta-Sarva Vyapi-Maheswara-Shanta and Aakaasha Rupa).                                                            



As Markandeya completed his Stuti of Bala Mukunda, the Maharshi sought clarification from Bhagavan about Maha Tatwa, Maya and Bhagavan and the latter smiled and stated: Even Brahma and Devas could not comprehend about the Concepts but keeping in view the  Supreme Pitru Bhakti, Deva Bhakti and the high-order of Brahmacharya of the Muni,the Lord granted the greatest dispensation to the Sage by way of ‘Sakshaatkaara’ and safety at the Pralaya; Bhagavan then outlined his clarifications in brief: At the beginning of Srishti, he created water and called it as Naara and since my Ayana or  Nivaasa / residence was the Naara, Bhagavan was named as Naara-Ayana or Naraayana; Bhagavan Narayana was the Supreme Creator, the Sanaatana or the Most Ancient, Avinaashi (Indestructible), and Srashta and Samharta; He said that he was Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, Kuybera, Pretaraja Yama, Shiva,Chandrama, Prajapati Kashyapa,  Dhata, Vidhata and Yajna. He stated that his Face was Agni, his Feet were Prithvi, his eyes were Surya and Chandra, Dyuloka his Mastaka or Head, Akaasha and Dashaas his ears, his sweat the Jala; the whole Universe was his Body, the Sky, Directions and Vayu. Veda Vidwans performing Deva Yagnaas worship Him only. He bore the brunt of the Universe in the form of Sesha Naga who in turn carried the weight of Samudras, Parvatas and so on; as the Varaha Rupa he salvaged the sinking Prithvi all by himself from Rasatala; He assumed the Form of Badabaagni to absorb Sea Water and gave it back in the Form of Rains from the Meghas; from his face were born Brahmanas, shoulders and hands were created the Kshatriyas, Vaishyas from his highs and Sudras frm his feet; from him were created Jnaanarupi Sanyaasis, Jijnaasus, and Adhyatmika Vettas; He was the Script- Maker of Ruk-Yajur-Sama and Atharva Vedas; He was the Samvartaka (Code-Creator) Jyoti, Samvartaka Agni, Samvartaka Surya, and Samvartaka Vayu; the millions of Nakshatras /Stars on the Sky were his body hairs; the Oceans full of Ratnas and the Dasha-Dishaas were also own Form; the concepts of Satya, Daana, Tapasya and Ahimsa were all his creations; and  the Antah- karana or the Inner Conscience of all Beings was also his own Form. Bala Mukunda further clarified that when ever Dharma or the Outlines of Virtuous Existence / Behaviour prescribed by Him got disturbed or distorted to extreme situations,  He himself assumed Avatars or Incarnations as per the required exigencies to destroy the Evil Forces and restore Dharma again: Yadaa yadaahi Dharmasya Glaanir bhavati Sattama, Abhyuttaana –madharmasya tadaatmaanam Srujaanmyaham/

Having heard this, Markandeya was indeed thrilled and Bhagavan asked whether the Maharshi had any other clarification required. Markandeya replied that there had been a feeling about the Supremacy of Narayana versus Shiva and to dispel this doubt for the benefit of the posterity, he proposed to build a Temple of Shiva.  Bala Mukunda smiled and stated that he had already taken pains to clarify that there was indeed only one Supreme Shakti named as Narayana or Shiva, or Brahma or Indra or Devis, or Devatas or of myriad other Rupas but the cover of Maya made different interpretations, while indeed the Supreme Energy was one and only one despite ill-advised classifications made by human beings on the basis of various Forms, Names, Features, Gunas, Sex, and so on; indeed these men and women ascribed to various Deities either with ill-founded and misleading judgments or to  serve their own selfish gains or by sheer ignorance of realities; although Vedas and  Vedangas explained and highlighted specific aspects of that Supreme Force, the Public got confused and believed ‘the woods for the forest’.                                                                                       

Bhagavan thus said:

Yadetparamam Devam Kaaranam Bhuvaneshwaram,

Lingamaaraadhana -arthaaya naanaa bhaava prashaantaye/

Mamaadishidena Viprendra  kuru sheeghram Shivaalayam,

Tatprabhaavaacchiva lokey tishthatwam cha tathaakshayam/

Shivey Samsthaapitey Vipra mama Samsthaapanam bhavet,

Naavayorantaram kinchideka bhaavou dwidhaa krutou/

Yo Rudrah sa swayam Vishnuryo Vishnuh sa Maheswarah

Ubhayorantaram naasti Pavanaakaashayoriva/

Mohito naabhi jaanaatiya  yeva Garudhadhwajah,

Vrishabhaadhwajah sa yeveti Tripuraghnam Trilochanam/

Tavanaamaankitam tasmaakkuru Vipra Shivaalayam,

Uttarey Deva Devasya kuru teertham Sushobhanam/

Markandeya hrudo naama Naralokeshu Vishrutah,

Bhavishyati Dwija shreshtha Sarva Paapa pranaashanah/

(Hey Vipra! You must soon build a Temple in which Parama Shiva Linga should be set up for the Aradhana of Bhuvaneswara who was the cause of the Universe so that you would be blessed in Shiva Loka for ever. Indeed setting up a Shiva Linga would be as good as establishing my Pratima. There was no diffentiation in Shiva and Vishnu whatsoever as they were of the same Tatwa like that of Akaash and Vayu. Those ignortant of this reality was like those disrespecting Garudadhwaja and Vrishadhwaja. Hence, I instruct you to soon construct a Shivalaya to firmly establish the fact that Hara and Hari were just the same; I shall then materialize a Sarovara to be named as ‘Markandeya Hlaadam’ at the North of the Temple in which sincere bathing would demolish the person taking Snaana in it would be fully rid of the past sins and gain propitiousness.)                                                                                                                    

By so saying, Bala Mukunda blessed Markandeya and disappeared.