SECTION XVII.Parāçara said:—In the days of yore the glorious Aurva, when accosted by the illustrious king Sagara, said thus regarding the usages to be practised by mankind. I have described to you all those observances which no one should violate.Maitreya said:—"O venerable Sir, I know all those who are called Sanda,[253]Apabidha[254]and Udakee[255]but I wish to know who is called Nagna; doing what he is called so, and what is the character of such a person to whom you have referred".[253]Eunuch.[254]One ejected from the society.[255]A woman in her course.Parāçara said:—The Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas are the three-fold covering of the several castes and the sinful wight who throws off this is called naked or apostate. The three Vedas constitute the dress of all men and when people neglect them they are left bare. Hear, what my grand father the pious Vasishtha said about this to the noble Bhishma. O Maitreya I heard what my grand-father said about this.There took place in the days of yore a battle between the gods and demons for the period of a divine year in which the gods were defeated by the demons under the command of Hrāda. The celestials, who were defeated, fled away to the northern shore of the milky ocean, where being engaged in devout practices, they thus prayed to Vishnu—"May the glorious Vishnu, who is without beginning, the lord of all beings, be propitiated with the words that we are going to address to him. Who can sing the glories of that great God from whom have originated all beings and in whom they cease to exist? Though thy true greatness is not within the reach of words still we have been engaged in glorifying thee being discomfitted by our enemies. Thou art earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, Prakriti and Purusha. O thou at one with all souls, thy form, visible or unvisible, pervades all from Brahmā to a stock diversified by time and place. Salutation to thee, who art Brahmā originated from the lotus springing from thy navel for the purpose of creation. Salutation to thee who art Indra, the sun, Rudra, the Vasus, fire, the winds and even also ourselves. Salutation to thee, O Govinda, who art at one with all demons, who are the creature of arrogance and want of discrimination uncontrolled by patience and self-control. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Yakshas, whose minds have no idea of perfect knowledge and who are accordingly of unmitigated prowess and whose nature is charmed with sounds. Salutation to thee, O foremost of Purushas, who are at one with all night-rangers, originated from the quality of darkness, fierce, fraudulent and cruel. Salutation to thee, O Janārddana, who art that virtue that gives rewards for the virtuous actions of those who live in heaven. Salutation to thee who art at one with the saints of accomplished piety, who are always contented and who traverse unobstructed all permeable elements. Salutation to thee who art at one with the serpents, double-tongued, impulsive, cruel, not satisfied with enjoyment and having immense wealth. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Rishis who are freed from sins and imperfections and at one with wisdom and tranquility."Salutation to thee, O thou having lotus-eyes, who art at one with time that devours, without any compunction, all created beings at the end of Kalpa. Salutation to thee who art at one with Rudra, who dances with delight after devouring all beings—gods and men. Salutation to thee, Janārddana, who art at one with men, who, actuated by the quality of foulness, engage in actions. Salutation to thee who art at one with brute animals—the spirit that leads to perversity, which proceeds from the quality of darkness and is encumbered with twenty-eight kinds of obstruction. Salutation to thee who art that chief spirit that appears diversified in the vegetable world and which are the substance of sacrifice is the agent of accomplishing the perfection of the universe. Salutation to thee who art identical with every thing and whose first form is the objects of perception and heaven and animals and men and celestials. Salutation to that form of thine, which is the cause of causes and which is distinct from and superior to the endless universe composed of intelligence, matter and the like and with which nothing can be compared. Salutation to thee, O great God, who hast neither colour nor extent nor dimensity and which is beyond all qualities and whose essence, purest of the pure, can be conceived only by sages. Salutation to the Brahma form of thine, who pervades in our bodies, who exists in all objects, who is without birth or decay and distinct from whom nothing exists. Salutation to thee, Vāsudeva, the supreme lord of all, who is unsullied, the root of all things, freed from dissolution, unborn, eternal, who in essence is the supreme condition of spirit and in substance the whole of the universe".Having thus recited the prayer the celestials beheld Hari the supreme lord of all, seated on Garuda, armed with the shell, the discus, and the mace. And having placed themselves before him they addressed him and said "Have pity upon us, O lord, and save us, who have come to thee for help, from the Daityas. O supreme lord, transgressing the commands of Brahmā, the demons headed by Hrāda, have taken possession of the three worlds and appropriated the offerings which are our portion. Though thou art at one with the endless creation and we are a portion of thyself, we, impressed by illusions, behold all things of the universe as distinct. Our enemies are engaged in the duties of their respective orders, follow the paths laid down by sacred writings and practise religious penances so we cannot lay them. O thou of immeasurable wisdom, do thou so instruct us that we may root out the enemies of the celestials".When the glorious Vishnu heard their prayers he emitted from his person an illusory form which he gave to the celestials and said. "This illusory form shall so deceive the Daityas, that being led astray from the path of the Vedas, they shall be slain; for all gods, demons and others, who shall transgress the authority of the Veda, shall perish by my prowess which I exercise for the preservation of the universe. Go then; be not afraid; this illusory form shall go before you. O celestials, it shall be of great service to you, this day".
SECTION XVII.Parāçara said:—In the days of yore the glorious Aurva, when accosted by the illustrious king Sagara, said thus regarding the usages to be practised by mankind. I have described to you all those observances which no one should violate.Maitreya said:—"O venerable Sir, I know all those who are called Sanda,[253]Apabidha[254]and Udakee[255]but I wish to know who is called Nagna; doing what he is called so, and what is the character of such a person to whom you have referred".[253]Eunuch.[254]One ejected from the society.[255]A woman in her course.Parāçara said:—The Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas are the three-fold covering of the several castes and the sinful wight who throws off this is called naked or apostate. The three Vedas constitute the dress of all men and when people neglect them they are left bare. Hear, what my grand father the pious Vasishtha said about this to the noble Bhishma. O Maitreya I heard what my grand-father said about this.There took place in the days of yore a battle between the gods and demons for the period of a divine year in which the gods were defeated by the demons under the command of Hrāda. The celestials, who were defeated, fled away to the northern shore of the milky ocean, where being engaged in devout practices, they thus prayed to Vishnu—"May the glorious Vishnu, who is without beginning, the lord of all beings, be propitiated with the words that we are going to address to him. Who can sing the glories of that great God from whom have originated all beings and in whom they cease to exist? Though thy true greatness is not within the reach of words still we have been engaged in glorifying thee being discomfitted by our enemies. Thou art earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, Prakriti and Purusha. O thou at one with all souls, thy form, visible or unvisible, pervades all from Brahmā to a stock diversified by time and place. Salutation to thee, who art Brahmā originated from the lotus springing from thy navel for the purpose of creation. Salutation to thee who art Indra, the sun, Rudra, the Vasus, fire, the winds and even also ourselves. Salutation to thee, O Govinda, who art at one with all demons, who are the creature of arrogance and want of discrimination uncontrolled by patience and self-control. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Yakshas, whose minds have no idea of perfect knowledge and who are accordingly of unmitigated prowess and whose nature is charmed with sounds. Salutation to thee, O foremost of Purushas, who are at one with all night-rangers, originated from the quality of darkness, fierce, fraudulent and cruel. Salutation to thee, O Janārddana, who art that virtue that gives rewards for the virtuous actions of those who live in heaven. Salutation to thee who art at one with the saints of accomplished piety, who are always contented and who traverse unobstructed all permeable elements. Salutation to thee who art at one with the serpents, double-tongued, impulsive, cruel, not satisfied with enjoyment and having immense wealth. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Rishis who are freed from sins and imperfections and at one with wisdom and tranquility."Salutation to thee, O thou having lotus-eyes, who art at one with time that devours, without any compunction, all created beings at the end of Kalpa. Salutation to thee who art at one with Rudra, who dances with delight after devouring all beings—gods and men. Salutation to thee, Janārddana, who art at one with men, who, actuated by the quality of foulness, engage in actions. Salutation to thee who art at one with brute animals—the spirit that leads to perversity, which proceeds from the quality of darkness and is encumbered with twenty-eight kinds of obstruction. Salutation to thee who art that chief spirit that appears diversified in the vegetable world and which are the substance of sacrifice is the agent of accomplishing the perfection of the universe. Salutation to thee who art identical with every thing and whose first form is the objects of perception and heaven and animals and men and celestials. Salutation to that form of thine, which is the cause of causes and which is distinct from and superior to the endless universe composed of intelligence, matter and the like and with which nothing can be compared. Salutation to thee, O great God, who hast neither colour nor extent nor dimensity and which is beyond all qualities and whose essence, purest of the pure, can be conceived only by sages. Salutation to the Brahma form of thine, who pervades in our bodies, who exists in all objects, who is without birth or decay and distinct from whom nothing exists. Salutation to thee, Vāsudeva, the supreme lord of all, who is unsullied, the root of all things, freed from dissolution, unborn, eternal, who in essence is the supreme condition of spirit and in substance the whole of the universe".Having thus recited the prayer the celestials beheld Hari the supreme lord of all, seated on Garuda, armed with the shell, the discus, and the mace. And having placed themselves before him they addressed him and said "Have pity upon us, O lord, and save us, who have come to thee for help, from the Daityas. O supreme lord, transgressing the commands of Brahmā, the demons headed by Hrāda, have taken possession of the three worlds and appropriated the offerings which are our portion. Though thou art at one with the endless creation and we are a portion of thyself, we, impressed by illusions, behold all things of the universe as distinct. Our enemies are engaged in the duties of their respective orders, follow the paths laid down by sacred writings and practise religious penances so we cannot lay them. O thou of immeasurable wisdom, do thou so instruct us that we may root out the enemies of the celestials".When the glorious Vishnu heard their prayers he emitted from his person an illusory form which he gave to the celestials and said. "This illusory form shall so deceive the Daityas, that being led astray from the path of the Vedas, they shall be slain; for all gods, demons and others, who shall transgress the authority of the Veda, shall perish by my prowess which I exercise for the preservation of the universe. Go then; be not afraid; this illusory form shall go before you. O celestials, it shall be of great service to you, this day".
SECTION XVII.Parāçara said:—In the days of yore the glorious Aurva, when accosted by the illustrious king Sagara, said thus regarding the usages to be practised by mankind. I have described to you all those observances which no one should violate.Maitreya said:—"O venerable Sir, I know all those who are called Sanda,[253]Apabidha[254]and Udakee[255]but I wish to know who is called Nagna; doing what he is called so, and what is the character of such a person to whom you have referred".[253]Eunuch.[254]One ejected from the society.[255]A woman in her course.Parāçara said:—The Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas are the three-fold covering of the several castes and the sinful wight who throws off this is called naked or apostate. The three Vedas constitute the dress of all men and when people neglect them they are left bare. Hear, what my grand father the pious Vasishtha said about this to the noble Bhishma. O Maitreya I heard what my grand-father said about this.There took place in the days of yore a battle between the gods and demons for the period of a divine year in which the gods were defeated by the demons under the command of Hrāda. The celestials, who were defeated, fled away to the northern shore of the milky ocean, where being engaged in devout practices, they thus prayed to Vishnu—"May the glorious Vishnu, who is without beginning, the lord of all beings, be propitiated with the words that we are going to address to him. Who can sing the glories of that great God from whom have originated all beings and in whom they cease to exist? Though thy true greatness is not within the reach of words still we have been engaged in glorifying thee being discomfitted by our enemies. Thou art earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, Prakriti and Purusha. O thou at one with all souls, thy form, visible or unvisible, pervades all from Brahmā to a stock diversified by time and place. Salutation to thee, who art Brahmā originated from the lotus springing from thy navel for the purpose of creation. Salutation to thee who art Indra, the sun, Rudra, the Vasus, fire, the winds and even also ourselves. Salutation to thee, O Govinda, who art at one with all demons, who are the creature of arrogance and want of discrimination uncontrolled by patience and self-control. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Yakshas, whose minds have no idea of perfect knowledge and who are accordingly of unmitigated prowess and whose nature is charmed with sounds. Salutation to thee, O foremost of Purushas, who are at one with all night-rangers, originated from the quality of darkness, fierce, fraudulent and cruel. Salutation to thee, O Janārddana, who art that virtue that gives rewards for the virtuous actions of those who live in heaven. Salutation to thee who art at one with the saints of accomplished piety, who are always contented and who traverse unobstructed all permeable elements. Salutation to thee who art at one with the serpents, double-tongued, impulsive, cruel, not satisfied with enjoyment and having immense wealth. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Rishis who are freed from sins and imperfections and at one with wisdom and tranquility."Salutation to thee, O thou having lotus-eyes, who art at one with time that devours, without any compunction, all created beings at the end of Kalpa. Salutation to thee who art at one with Rudra, who dances with delight after devouring all beings—gods and men. Salutation to thee, Janārddana, who art at one with men, who, actuated by the quality of foulness, engage in actions. Salutation to thee who art at one with brute animals—the spirit that leads to perversity, which proceeds from the quality of darkness and is encumbered with twenty-eight kinds of obstruction. Salutation to thee who art that chief spirit that appears diversified in the vegetable world and which are the substance of sacrifice is the agent of accomplishing the perfection of the universe. Salutation to thee who art identical with every thing and whose first form is the objects of perception and heaven and animals and men and celestials. Salutation to that form of thine, which is the cause of causes and which is distinct from and superior to the endless universe composed of intelligence, matter and the like and with which nothing can be compared. Salutation to thee, O great God, who hast neither colour nor extent nor dimensity and which is beyond all qualities and whose essence, purest of the pure, can be conceived only by sages. Salutation to the Brahma form of thine, who pervades in our bodies, who exists in all objects, who is without birth or decay and distinct from whom nothing exists. Salutation to thee, Vāsudeva, the supreme lord of all, who is unsullied, the root of all things, freed from dissolution, unborn, eternal, who in essence is the supreme condition of spirit and in substance the whole of the universe".Having thus recited the prayer the celestials beheld Hari the supreme lord of all, seated on Garuda, armed with the shell, the discus, and the mace. And having placed themselves before him they addressed him and said "Have pity upon us, O lord, and save us, who have come to thee for help, from the Daityas. O supreme lord, transgressing the commands of Brahmā, the demons headed by Hrāda, have taken possession of the three worlds and appropriated the offerings which are our portion. Though thou art at one with the endless creation and we are a portion of thyself, we, impressed by illusions, behold all things of the universe as distinct. Our enemies are engaged in the duties of their respective orders, follow the paths laid down by sacred writings and practise religious penances so we cannot lay them. O thou of immeasurable wisdom, do thou so instruct us that we may root out the enemies of the celestials".When the glorious Vishnu heard their prayers he emitted from his person an illusory form which he gave to the celestials and said. "This illusory form shall so deceive the Daityas, that being led astray from the path of the Vedas, they shall be slain; for all gods, demons and others, who shall transgress the authority of the Veda, shall perish by my prowess which I exercise for the preservation of the universe. Go then; be not afraid; this illusory form shall go before you. O celestials, it shall be of great service to you, this day".
Parāçara said:—In the days of yore the glorious Aurva, when accosted by the illustrious king Sagara, said thus regarding the usages to be practised by mankind. I have described to you all those observances which no one should violate.
Maitreya said:—"O venerable Sir, I know all those who are called Sanda,[253]Apabidha[254]and Udakee[255]but I wish to know who is called Nagna; doing what he is called so, and what is the character of such a person to whom you have referred".
Parāçara said:—The Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas are the three-fold covering of the several castes and the sinful wight who throws off this is called naked or apostate. The three Vedas constitute the dress of all men and when people neglect them they are left bare. Hear, what my grand father the pious Vasishtha said about this to the noble Bhishma. O Maitreya I heard what my grand-father said about this.
There took place in the days of yore a battle between the gods and demons for the period of a divine year in which the gods were defeated by the demons under the command of Hrāda. The celestials, who were defeated, fled away to the northern shore of the milky ocean, where being engaged in devout practices, they thus prayed to Vishnu—"May the glorious Vishnu, who is without beginning, the lord of all beings, be propitiated with the words that we are going to address to him. Who can sing the glories of that great God from whom have originated all beings and in whom they cease to exist? Though thy true greatness is not within the reach of words still we have been engaged in glorifying thee being discomfitted by our enemies. Thou art earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, Prakriti and Purusha. O thou at one with all souls, thy form, visible or unvisible, pervades all from Brahmā to a stock diversified by time and place. Salutation to thee, who art Brahmā originated from the lotus springing from thy navel for the purpose of creation. Salutation to thee who art Indra, the sun, Rudra, the Vasus, fire, the winds and even also ourselves. Salutation to thee, O Govinda, who art at one with all demons, who are the creature of arrogance and want of discrimination uncontrolled by patience and self-control. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Yakshas, whose minds have no idea of perfect knowledge and who are accordingly of unmitigated prowess and whose nature is charmed with sounds. Salutation to thee, O foremost of Purushas, who are at one with all night-rangers, originated from the quality of darkness, fierce, fraudulent and cruel. Salutation to thee, O Janārddana, who art that virtue that gives rewards for the virtuous actions of those who live in heaven. Salutation to thee who art at one with the saints of accomplished piety, who are always contented and who traverse unobstructed all permeable elements. Salutation to thee who art at one with the serpents, double-tongued, impulsive, cruel, not satisfied with enjoyment and having immense wealth. Salutation to thee who art at one with the Rishis who are freed from sins and imperfections and at one with wisdom and tranquility.
"Salutation to thee, O thou having lotus-eyes, who art at one with time that devours, without any compunction, all created beings at the end of Kalpa. Salutation to thee who art at one with Rudra, who dances with delight after devouring all beings—gods and men. Salutation to thee, Janārddana, who art at one with men, who, actuated by the quality of foulness, engage in actions. Salutation to thee who art at one with brute animals—the spirit that leads to perversity, which proceeds from the quality of darkness and is encumbered with twenty-eight kinds of obstruction. Salutation to thee who art that chief spirit that appears diversified in the vegetable world and which are the substance of sacrifice is the agent of accomplishing the perfection of the universe. Salutation to thee who art identical with every thing and whose first form is the objects of perception and heaven and animals and men and celestials. Salutation to that form of thine, which is the cause of causes and which is distinct from and superior to the endless universe composed of intelligence, matter and the like and with which nothing can be compared. Salutation to thee, O great God, who hast neither colour nor extent nor dimensity and which is beyond all qualities and whose essence, purest of the pure, can be conceived only by sages. Salutation to the Brahma form of thine, who pervades in our bodies, who exists in all objects, who is without birth or decay and distinct from whom nothing exists. Salutation to thee, Vāsudeva, the supreme lord of all, who is unsullied, the root of all things, freed from dissolution, unborn, eternal, who in essence is the supreme condition of spirit and in substance the whole of the universe".
Having thus recited the prayer the celestials beheld Hari the supreme lord of all, seated on Garuda, armed with the shell, the discus, and the mace. And having placed themselves before him they addressed him and said "Have pity upon us, O lord, and save us, who have come to thee for help, from the Daityas. O supreme lord, transgressing the commands of Brahmā, the demons headed by Hrāda, have taken possession of the three worlds and appropriated the offerings which are our portion. Though thou art at one with the endless creation and we are a portion of thyself, we, impressed by illusions, behold all things of the universe as distinct. Our enemies are engaged in the duties of their respective orders, follow the paths laid down by sacred writings and practise religious penances so we cannot lay them. O thou of immeasurable wisdom, do thou so instruct us that we may root out the enemies of the celestials".
When the glorious Vishnu heard their prayers he emitted from his person an illusory form which he gave to the celestials and said. "This illusory form shall so deceive the Daityas, that being led astray from the path of the Vedas, they shall be slain; for all gods, demons and others, who shall transgress the authority of the Veda, shall perish by my prowess which I exercise for the preservation of the universe. Go then; be not afraid; this illusory form shall go before you. O celestials, it shall be of great service to you, this day".