Dasakam 097 - Sloka 04

तं चैनं भक्तियोगं द्रढयितुमयि मे साध्यमारोग्यमायु- र्दिष्ट्या तत्रापि सेव्यं तव चरणमहो भेषजायेव दुग्धम् । मार्कण्डेयो हि पूर्वं गणकनिगदितद्वादशाब्दायुरुच्चै: सेवित्वा वत्सरं त्वां तव भटनिवहैर्द्रावयामास मृत्युम् ॥४॥

तं च-एनं भक्ति-योगंand that this Bhakti Yogaद्रढयितुम्-अयिto be firmly established, O Thou!मे साध्यम्-by me is to be pursuedआरोग्यम्-आयु:-good health and long lifeदिष्ट्या तत्र-अपिfortunately, there alsoसेव्यं तव चरणम्-service to Thy feet (alone is to be done)अहो भेषजाय-एव दुग्धम्wonderful! For medicine alone is milkमार्कण्डेय: हि पूर्वंMaarkandeya indeed, long agoगणक-निगदित-by the astrologer being toldद्वादश-आब्द-आयु:-twelve years of ageउच्चै: सेवित्वा वत्सरंintensely serving for one yearत्वां तव भट-निवहै:-Thee, by Thy emissariesद्रावयामास मृत्युम्drove away was death

O Lord! In order to get firmly established in Bhakti Yoga, I need good health and long life. Fortunately, to achieve this also, service at Thy feet is to be done. Wonderful it is that the medicine is milk only. Long ago, Maarkandeya was told by an astrologer that his life span was of twelve years only. He worshipped intensely at Thy feet for one year and when death approached, it was driven away by Thy emissaries.