SECTION III.Maitreya said:—"How can Brahmā, who is devoid of quality and confineless and pure and unblamed of soul, possibly engage in creation,etc.?" Thereat Parāçara said,—"As the powers of many an object are incomprehensible and incapable of being construed to sense, the powers of creationetc., possessed by Brahmā, like the heat of fire, are also so. O foremost of ascetics, hearken how the Professor of the eight kinds of wealth becomes engaged in creation. O wise one, in consequence of the eternal reverend Vishnu coming into being from objects, as Brahmā the Grand-father, he is designated as produced. According to the measure set by him human life is known as consisting of an hundred years. This (age) is calledpara, and the half thereof Parārdha. O sinless one, do thou listen to me as I mention unto thee the divisions of that which I have named unto thee as the Time-form of Vishnu,—in relation to Him as well as other creatures, and mobile and immobile objects, and the seas and all other things, O best of men. O chief of ascetics, akāsthāis composed of fifteennimeshas;[37]thirtykāsthāsmake up akalā; and thirtykalāsamuhurta; and as manymuhurtasmake up a day and a night unto human beings. As many days and nights form a month; and a month consists of two fortnights. Six months form anayana; and a year is composed of twoayanas, one northern, the other southern. The southernayanais the night of the celestials, as the northern is their day. The period of twelve thousand years of the deities constitute the four Yugas,viz.Krita, Tretā, and the others.[38]Do thou understand that.[39]Chronologists say that four, three, two, and one thousand divine years successively compose Krita and the other Yugas. An hundred divine years are said to constitute the first twilight, as another hundred years the last, of the Yuga. The space that intervenes between these twilights goeth by the name of Yuga, embracing Krita, Tretā and the rest. And O anchoret, a thousand of the four Yugas, Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara and Kali, constitute one day of Brahmā. One day of Brahmā O Brāhmana, compriseth four and ten reigns of the Manus.[40]Listen to the chronology thereof! The seven saints, the celestials, Sakra, Manu, and his sons—kings all of them—are created at the same time and, as formerly,[41]are destroyed at the same time, O excellent one, a little over seventy-one four Yugas constitute a Manwantara—the period of Manu as well as the gods. Manwantara takes up over eightlakshas[42]and fifty-two thousand years; and, O twice-born one, full thirty[43]kotisabove sixty-seven[44]niyutasand about twenty thousand human years. Ten and fourteen such periods[45]form one day of Brahmā. Then comes on his sleep[46]and at the end thereof, the universal dissolution. And then all the triune world, comprisingBhur,Bhuvaand the rest, are in conflagration, and the dwellers of the regions ofMaha, exercised with the heat, resort to the regions ofJana. On the three regions being reduced to one sheet of sea, that deity, the lotus-sprung Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, contemplated by theYogis[47]of Janasthāna,—with the intention of swallowing up the three worlds,—lieth down on the bed (formed by) the serpent. And having spent the night measuring that period,[48]at the end thereof he begins anew the work of creation. This is the year of Brahmā and thus is the space of his hundred years; and the life of that high-souled one is an hundred (such) years. O thou without sin, one half of Brahmās life is spent. On the expiration thereof passeth away a Mahākalpa—which is called Pādma. O twice-born one, this is the Kalpa distinguished as Vatrahā belonging to the secondParāddha, which is present".[37]Animeshais the twinkling of an eye.[38]Dwāpara and Kali.[39]The division of the Yugas.[40]A generic name of the Progenitors of mankind.[41]I fail to perceive the sense of this, unless it meantas they have been created aforetime.—T.[42]Lacs.[43]One million.[44]Ten millions.[45]Manwantaras.[46]Extending over as many Manwantaras.[47]Persons practising a certain process entitled Yoga.[48]The time of creation.
SECTION III.Maitreya said:—"How can Brahmā, who is devoid of quality and confineless and pure and unblamed of soul, possibly engage in creation,etc.?" Thereat Parāçara said,—"As the powers of many an object are incomprehensible and incapable of being construed to sense, the powers of creationetc., possessed by Brahmā, like the heat of fire, are also so. O foremost of ascetics, hearken how the Professor of the eight kinds of wealth becomes engaged in creation. O wise one, in consequence of the eternal reverend Vishnu coming into being from objects, as Brahmā the Grand-father, he is designated as produced. According to the measure set by him human life is known as consisting of an hundred years. This (age) is calledpara, and the half thereof Parārdha. O sinless one, do thou listen to me as I mention unto thee the divisions of that which I have named unto thee as the Time-form of Vishnu,—in relation to Him as well as other creatures, and mobile and immobile objects, and the seas and all other things, O best of men. O chief of ascetics, akāsthāis composed of fifteennimeshas;[37]thirtykāsthāsmake up akalā; and thirtykalāsamuhurta; and as manymuhurtasmake up a day and a night unto human beings. As many days and nights form a month; and a month consists of two fortnights. Six months form anayana; and a year is composed of twoayanas, one northern, the other southern. The southernayanais the night of the celestials, as the northern is their day. The period of twelve thousand years of the deities constitute the four Yugas,viz.Krita, Tretā, and the others.[38]Do thou understand that.[39]Chronologists say that four, three, two, and one thousand divine years successively compose Krita and the other Yugas. An hundred divine years are said to constitute the first twilight, as another hundred years the last, of the Yuga. The space that intervenes between these twilights goeth by the name of Yuga, embracing Krita, Tretā and the rest. And O anchoret, a thousand of the four Yugas, Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara and Kali, constitute one day of Brahmā. One day of Brahmā O Brāhmana, compriseth four and ten reigns of the Manus.[40]Listen to the chronology thereof! The seven saints, the celestials, Sakra, Manu, and his sons—kings all of them—are created at the same time and, as formerly,[41]are destroyed at the same time, O excellent one, a little over seventy-one four Yugas constitute a Manwantara—the period of Manu as well as the gods. Manwantara takes up over eightlakshas[42]and fifty-two thousand years; and, O twice-born one, full thirty[43]kotisabove sixty-seven[44]niyutasand about twenty thousand human years. Ten and fourteen such periods[45]form one day of Brahmā. Then comes on his sleep[46]and at the end thereof, the universal dissolution. And then all the triune world, comprisingBhur,Bhuvaand the rest, are in conflagration, and the dwellers of the regions ofMaha, exercised with the heat, resort to the regions ofJana. On the three regions being reduced to one sheet of sea, that deity, the lotus-sprung Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, contemplated by theYogis[47]of Janasthāna,—with the intention of swallowing up the three worlds,—lieth down on the bed (formed by) the serpent. And having spent the night measuring that period,[48]at the end thereof he begins anew the work of creation. This is the year of Brahmā and thus is the space of his hundred years; and the life of that high-souled one is an hundred (such) years. O thou without sin, one half of Brahmās life is spent. On the expiration thereof passeth away a Mahākalpa—which is called Pādma. O twice-born one, this is the Kalpa distinguished as Vatrahā belonging to the secondParāddha, which is present".[37]Animeshais the twinkling of an eye.[38]Dwāpara and Kali.[39]The division of the Yugas.[40]A generic name of the Progenitors of mankind.[41]I fail to perceive the sense of this, unless it meantas they have been created aforetime.—T.[42]Lacs.[43]One million.[44]Ten millions.[45]Manwantaras.[46]Extending over as many Manwantaras.[47]Persons practising a certain process entitled Yoga.[48]The time of creation.
SECTION III.Maitreya said:—"How can Brahmā, who is devoid of quality and confineless and pure and unblamed of soul, possibly engage in creation,etc.?" Thereat Parāçara said,—"As the powers of many an object are incomprehensible and incapable of being construed to sense, the powers of creationetc., possessed by Brahmā, like the heat of fire, are also so. O foremost of ascetics, hearken how the Professor of the eight kinds of wealth becomes engaged in creation. O wise one, in consequence of the eternal reverend Vishnu coming into being from objects, as Brahmā the Grand-father, he is designated as produced. According to the measure set by him human life is known as consisting of an hundred years. This (age) is calledpara, and the half thereof Parārdha. O sinless one, do thou listen to me as I mention unto thee the divisions of that which I have named unto thee as the Time-form of Vishnu,—in relation to Him as well as other creatures, and mobile and immobile objects, and the seas and all other things, O best of men. O chief of ascetics, akāsthāis composed of fifteennimeshas;[37]thirtykāsthāsmake up akalā; and thirtykalāsamuhurta; and as manymuhurtasmake up a day and a night unto human beings. As many days and nights form a month; and a month consists of two fortnights. Six months form anayana; and a year is composed of twoayanas, one northern, the other southern. The southernayanais the night of the celestials, as the northern is their day. The period of twelve thousand years of the deities constitute the four Yugas,viz.Krita, Tretā, and the others.[38]Do thou understand that.[39]Chronologists say that four, three, two, and one thousand divine years successively compose Krita and the other Yugas. An hundred divine years are said to constitute the first twilight, as another hundred years the last, of the Yuga. The space that intervenes between these twilights goeth by the name of Yuga, embracing Krita, Tretā and the rest. And O anchoret, a thousand of the four Yugas, Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara and Kali, constitute one day of Brahmā. One day of Brahmā O Brāhmana, compriseth four and ten reigns of the Manus.[40]Listen to the chronology thereof! The seven saints, the celestials, Sakra, Manu, and his sons—kings all of them—are created at the same time and, as formerly,[41]are destroyed at the same time, O excellent one, a little over seventy-one four Yugas constitute a Manwantara—the period of Manu as well as the gods. Manwantara takes up over eightlakshas[42]and fifty-two thousand years; and, O twice-born one, full thirty[43]kotisabove sixty-seven[44]niyutasand about twenty thousand human years. Ten and fourteen such periods[45]form one day of Brahmā. Then comes on his sleep[46]and at the end thereof, the universal dissolution. And then all the triune world, comprisingBhur,Bhuvaand the rest, are in conflagration, and the dwellers of the regions ofMaha, exercised with the heat, resort to the regions ofJana. On the three regions being reduced to one sheet of sea, that deity, the lotus-sprung Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, contemplated by theYogis[47]of Janasthāna,—with the intention of swallowing up the three worlds,—lieth down on the bed (formed by) the serpent. And having spent the night measuring that period,[48]at the end thereof he begins anew the work of creation. This is the year of Brahmā and thus is the space of his hundred years; and the life of that high-souled one is an hundred (such) years. O thou without sin, one half of Brahmās life is spent. On the expiration thereof passeth away a Mahākalpa—which is called Pādma. O twice-born one, this is the Kalpa distinguished as Vatrahā belonging to the secondParāddha, which is present".[37]Animeshais the twinkling of an eye.[38]Dwāpara and Kali.[39]The division of the Yugas.[40]A generic name of the Progenitors of mankind.[41]I fail to perceive the sense of this, unless it meantas they have been created aforetime.—T.[42]Lacs.[43]One million.[44]Ten millions.[45]Manwantaras.[46]Extending over as many Manwantaras.[47]Persons practising a certain process entitled Yoga.[48]The time of creation.
Maitreya said:—"How can Brahmā, who is devoid of quality and confineless and pure and unblamed of soul, possibly engage in creation,etc.?" Thereat Parāçara said,—"As the powers of many an object are incomprehensible and incapable of being construed to sense, the powers of creationetc., possessed by Brahmā, like the heat of fire, are also so. O foremost of ascetics, hearken how the Professor of the eight kinds of wealth becomes engaged in creation. O wise one, in consequence of the eternal reverend Vishnu coming into being from objects, as Brahmā the Grand-father, he is designated as produced. According to the measure set by him human life is known as consisting of an hundred years. This (age) is calledpara, and the half thereof Parārdha. O sinless one, do thou listen to me as I mention unto thee the divisions of that which I have named unto thee as the Time-form of Vishnu,—in relation to Him as well as other creatures, and mobile and immobile objects, and the seas and all other things, O best of men. O chief of ascetics, akāsthāis composed of fifteennimeshas;[37]thirtykāsthāsmake up akalā; and thirtykalāsamuhurta; and as manymuhurtasmake up a day and a night unto human beings. As many days and nights form a month; and a month consists of two fortnights. Six months form anayana; and a year is composed of twoayanas, one northern, the other southern. The southernayanais the night of the celestials, as the northern is their day. The period of twelve thousand years of the deities constitute the four Yugas,viz.Krita, Tretā, and the others.[38]Do thou understand that.[39]Chronologists say that four, three, two, and one thousand divine years successively compose Krita and the other Yugas. An hundred divine years are said to constitute the first twilight, as another hundred years the last, of the Yuga. The space that intervenes between these twilights goeth by the name of Yuga, embracing Krita, Tretā and the rest. And O anchoret, a thousand of the four Yugas, Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara and Kali, constitute one day of Brahmā. One day of Brahmā O Brāhmana, compriseth four and ten reigns of the Manus.[40]Listen to the chronology thereof! The seven saints, the celestials, Sakra, Manu, and his sons—kings all of them—are created at the same time and, as formerly,[41]are destroyed at the same time, O excellent one, a little over seventy-one four Yugas constitute a Manwantara—the period of Manu as well as the gods. Manwantara takes up over eightlakshas[42]and fifty-two thousand years; and, O twice-born one, full thirty[43]kotisabove sixty-seven[44]niyutasand about twenty thousand human years. Ten and fourteen such periods[45]form one day of Brahmā. Then comes on his sleep[46]and at the end thereof, the universal dissolution. And then all the triune world, comprisingBhur,Bhuvaand the rest, are in conflagration, and the dwellers of the regions ofMaha, exercised with the heat, resort to the regions ofJana. On the three regions being reduced to one sheet of sea, that deity, the lotus-sprung Brahmā instinct with Nārāyana, contemplated by theYogis[47]of Janasthāna,—with the intention of swallowing up the three worlds,—lieth down on the bed (formed by) the serpent. And having spent the night measuring that period,[48]at the end thereof he begins anew the work of creation. This is the year of Brahmā and thus is the space of his hundred years; and the life of that high-souled one is an hundred (such) years. O thou without sin, one half of Brahmās life is spent. On the expiration thereof passeth away a Mahākalpa—which is called Pādma. O twice-born one, this is the Kalpa distinguished as Vatrahā belonging to the secondParāddha, which is present".