Markandeya Jayanti is an important devotional and spiritual festival for Hindus. People worship Lord Shiva and Markandeya Rishi on this day and seek their blessings for longevity, health, and prosperity. Markandeya Jayanti falls on the Chaturthi (fourth day) of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Magha. People will observe Markandeya Jayanti 2026 on January 22, Thursday this year. Inspired by the sage Markandeya’s unflinching devotion towards Lord Shiva, people perform various devotional, spiritual, and charitable acts on this day. Their ultimate aim behind practising devotion and performing regular sadhana and good deeds is to seek divine blessings to overcome obstacles in their life.
Who Is Markandeya?
Rishi Markandeya is an ancient sage who was born in the family of Maharshi Bhrigu. He was a great devotee of Lord Shiva who granted him the boon of immortality. His teachings offer eternal spiritual wisdom and inspire people to practice dharma and devotion, leading to a healthy, long, and prosperous life.
The Rishi Markandeya Story
The Rishi Markandeya Story
Markandeya was born to Rishi Mrikandu and his wife Marudmati. They were childless for many years. Mrikandu performed rigorous penances to please Lord Shiva to get a son. When Shiva appeared before him, he gave them two choices.
Lord Shiva Gave Two Choices
The first one was a virtuous and religious son who would live for only 16 years. The second was a son with a long life, but he would have low intelligence. Rishi Mrikandu chose the first option. Therefore, Markandeya was born. He was an extremely devoted soul with deep wisdom. He had a special connection with the divine.
The Sage Performed Severe Penance
On seeing his death approaching, Markandeya immersed himself in severe penance to the Lord
Shiva. When Yamraj came to take away his life, he clung tightly to the Shivling and began charting Shiva’s name with fervour.
Yamraj threw his noose around the sage Markandeya. The noose also wrapped around the Shivling. This angered Lord Shiva, and he attacked Yamraj and defeated him. After killing Yamraj with his trident, Lord Shiva revived him.
Lord Shiva Granted a Boon to the Sage
The unwavering devotion of Markandeya immensely pleased Lord Shiva. He granted the boon of immortality to the sage and said he would always remain 16 years old. That’s why Lord Shiva is called Kalantak (destroyer of death).
Lessons from the Story
Here are some significant lessons from Rishi Markandeya’s story:
Faith Can Change Destiny
Markandeya’s confrontation with Yamraj indicates that unflinching faith can even change the seemingly unchangeable fate. His absolute devotion to Lord Shiva altered his destiny.
Devotion Brings Divine Blessings
Lord Shiva bestowed immortality on the sage because of his pure and unshakeable devotion and not due to any material achievement. His story inspires us to cultivate extreme devotion in our lives. This can be a devotion to a deity, a spiritual path, or a higher purpose. When devotion is genuine, it invokes divine grace.
The Illusion of Mortality
The story of the sage Markandeya challenges the idea of mortality. It reminds us that while death may be inevitable, the soul’s connection to the divine is eternal. This spiritual truth is the fundamental part of Hindu philosophy, where life and death are stages in the eternal journey of the soul.
The Pursuit of Dharma
Rishi Markandeya gave eternal wisdom for mankind that transcends ages. Even Yudhisthira approached the sage for guidance. The sage asked him to practice truth and righteousness even in adverse circumstances.
Thus, the sage’s story teaches us that unwavering devotion and absolute faith in God can help overcome most difficult circumstances in life.
Markandeya’s Teachings Offer Spiritual Wisdom
The sage Markandeya authored the Markandeya Purana, which is one of the 18 major puranas in Hinduism. It contains the saint’s teachings. This particular purana is a source of spiritual wisdom and knowledge that transcends time.
Apart from his teachings, the Purana also contains stories and hymns. They provide insights into various aspects of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and mythology. Moreover, the purana provides lessons on morality and the nature of the divine.
Devi Mahatmya
This purana also mentions Devi Mahatmya, an ancient text associated with the worship of the Goddess Durga. It glorifies the divine feminine power.
Markandeya Jayanti Celebration
People celebrate the Markandeya Jayanti by performing devotional, spiritual and charity acts:
Fasting & Puja
As part of the Makandeya Jayanti puja vidhi, devotees do fasting, which blesses them with health, longevity, and prosperity. They also worship Lord Shiva and Rishi Markandeya on this occasion. People also perform Shivling puja by anointing it with water, milk, honey, Gangajal, and belpatra.
Chant Mantras
Moreover, devotees chant the Rudrabhishek and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. People organise yagya and havan at some places. They also read, recite, and listen to the Markandeya Purana during the jayanti.
Perform Acts of Charity
People donate clothes, food and dakshina to the poor and needy. This act is extremely auspicious on Markandeya Jayanti. Feeding fodder to cows and offering food to Brahmins is also a part of tradition on this day.
Conclusion
The story of the sage Markandeya inspires us to have unflinching devotion towards God for achieving longevity, prosperity and health in our lives. It also indicates that supreme faith in God can even change destiny. Markandeya Jayanti emphasises performing spiritual and devotional acts, including worshipping Lord Shiva and Rishi Markandeya, fasting, etc. You may be looking forward to worshipping Lord Shiva with great religious fervour and devotion on the occasion of Markandeya Jayanti. You can purchase intricately crafted idols of Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities from Cottage9 for this occasion and other auspicious festivals.
