Authorities say that Mārkaṇḍeya, the son of Mṛkaṇḍu, was an exceptionally long-lived sage who was the only survivor at the end of Brahmā's day, when the entire universe was merged in the flood of annihilation. But this same Mārkaṇḍeya, the foremost descendant of Bhṛgu, took birth in my own family during the current day of Brahmā, and we have not yet seen any total annihilation in this day of Brahmā. Also, it is well known that Mārkaṇḍeya, while wandering helplessly in the great ocean of annihilation, saw a wonderful personality—an infant boy lying alone within the fold of a banyan leaf. O Sūta, I am most bewildered and curious about this great sage, Mārkaṇḍeya. O great yogī, you are accepted as the authority on all the Purāṇas. Therefore kindly dispel my confusion. Urvāritaḥ means “remaining.” During the devastation by which (yena) the universe was swallowed up, he remained. That is well known. But there is no devastation now. That is my doubt. Otherwise how could it happen that he saw a small boy on a banyan leaf during devastation? Because of this doubt, I have curiosity. Cut this doubt and curiosity. Not only are you a great yogī but are acknowledged as an authority on the Purāṇas.