SECTION XXII.Parāçara said:—When Pritha was installed on the throne by the great Rishis the great Patriarch by and by conferred kingdoms upon other kings. He bestowed upon the moon the sovereignty of stars, planets, twice-born ones, grass, creeping plants sacrifices and penances. Vaisravana was made king over kings, and Varuna was made lord of waters. Vishnu was made the king of Adityas and Pāvaka of Vasus. Daksha was made the lord of Patriarchs and Vāsava of Maruts. And he conferred the sovereignty ®f Daityas and Dānavas upon Prāhlada. And Yama, the king of justice, was made the king of the manes (Pitris). Airāvata was made the king of many elephants, Garuda of birds, Vāsava of the celestials. Uchaisravas was made the king of horses and Vrishabba of kine. Shesha became the king of serpents, the lion, the monarch of the beasts and the holy fig-tree the king of the trees. Having thus divided the kingdom the great Patriarch Brahmā appointed divinities to protect the different quarters: he made Sudhanwan, the son of the patriarch Viraja, the protector of the east; Sankhapada the son of the patriarch Kardama, of the south; the immortal Ketumat, the son of Rajas, protector of the west and Hiranyaroman the son of the patriarch Parjanya, protector of the north. By these the whole earth, with its even islands and cities, was righteously governed, each confining himself to his own limit.All these and others appointed to govern the creation are but persons of the Great Vishnu, O foremost of Munis, All the kings who have been and who shall be, O foremost of twice-born ones, are the portions of Vishnu. The lords of celestials, the kings of the Daityas, the sovereigns of the Dānavas, the rulers of the demons, the kings of the beasts, birds, men, serpents, Nagas, the best of trees, of mountains, of planets—those that were, those that are, and those that shall be, are but portions of Vishnu who is identical with the universe. None else is capable of protecting the world, but Hari, the lord of all. O greatly wise ascetic, the essence of the universal creation exists in him and none else. The eternal Vishnu invested respectively with the qualities of foulness, goodness, and darkness, creates the universe, preserves it and destroys it. By a four-fold manifestation of himself he creates the world and in the same way preserves and destroys it. In one manifestation as Brahmā, the invisible (Vishnu) assumes a visible shape; in his second manifestation, he appears as the patriarch Marichi and others; Kāla is the third manifestation and all other beings constitute his fourth manifestation. Thus he becomes four-fold in his creation invested with the quality of goodness. The Deity in one portion as Vishnu, preserves the creation; in his second portion he assumes the shape of Manu and others; in his third portion he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus invested with the quality of goodness, the excellent Purusha preserves the universe. And invested with the quality of darkness at the end of creation the un-born Deity, in one portion, assumes the form of Rudra. In another portion he assumes the shape of fire—in another he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus in his four-fold form he is the destroyer of the universe. This is the four-fold division of the Deity, O Brahman, at all seasons.Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence.[231]That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.[231]i.e.Those who obtain this highest knowledge regarding the condition of Brahma are freed from future birthsi.e.they are not required any more to go through the cycle of births.There are two states of Brahma—one with shape and the other without it—one perishable and the other imperishable. These two states are manifest everywhere. As the blaze of fire, at one place, spreads light and heat all around so this vast universe is nothing but the manifestation of the energy of the undecaying and eternal Brahma. And as the light and heat are stronger or feebler proportionate to the distance of the spot, so the energy of Brahma is more or less manifest in beings as they are more or less remote from him. O Brāhman, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the most powerful energies of Brahma: next to them, O Maitreya, are the inferior celestials—next to them are the patriarch Daksha and others—next to them, men, beasts, birds and serpents and then the trees and plants each growing feebler proportionate to their distance from the Supreme God. In this way, the world, although eternal and indestructable, appears and disappears as if being subject to birth and death.The all-powerful Vishnu is but the manifestation of Brahma. He being invested with form, theYogisworship him at the very commencement. And the great ascetics, with their minds unagitated, in whose minds exists great spirit of devotion with the object to be meditated upon and along with the means for effecting it, endeavour to bring about mystic union with him. O great Muni, Hari is the most powerful of all the energies of Brahma, because he is the most immediate. And he is an embodiment of Brahma because he is composed entirely of his essence. In him the whole universe is interwoven—from him and in him is the universe, O Muni. Vishnu, the lord of the universe containing all that is destructable and indestructable, holds the creation material and spiritual with his ornaments and weapons.Maitreya said:—"Do thou relate to me how does the great God Vishnu hold the universe with his ornaments and weapons".Parāçara said:—Having bowed down unto the mighty and indescribable Vishnu I shall relate to you what was formerly described by Vasishtha, The Great Hari holds the pure soul of the world uncontaminated and divested of qualities like the Kaustava gem. The undecaying holdsPakritias Srivatsa mark and intellect exists in Mādhava in the shape of his mace. The lord holds the two-folded divisions of egotism namely into elements and organs of sense in the shape of his conch-shell and bow. He holds in his hand, in the shape of discus, mind which is the strength of all and excels wind in its flight. The necklace, of the holder of mace, namely Vaijayenti, contains five precious gems (pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond) being the emblems of the five elemental rudiments. Janārddana holds the faculties of action and perception in the shape of numerous shafts. The holy wisdom is the bright sword of Achyuta concealed sometimes in the scabbard of ignorance. In this wise, O Maitreya, Hrishikesha is the refuge of soul, nature, intellect, egotism, the elements, the senses, mind, ignorance and wisdom. And although Hari is without any shape, yet, he, for the behoof of mankind, in his dillusive form, embodies the elements of the world as his weapons and ornaments. Then the lotus-eyed deity, the lord of the universe, holds the nature and the universes. O Maitreya, true wisdom, ignorance, all that is transient, all that is everlasting, exist in the slayer of Madhu, the lord of all creatures. The time with its division of seconds, minutes, days, months, seasons, and years, is but the manifestation of the Great Hari. O Great Muni, the seven worlds, the earth the sky, the heaven, the world of Patriarchs, of sages, of saints, of truth are but diverse manifestations of his. His form is the whole universe; he is first born before all the first-born. He is the refuge of ail being; he is himself self-sustained; his various forms are celestials, men and animals. Therefore he is the supreme lord of all; eternal; he has a visible shape and is without it He is known in the Vedanta as the Rich, Yajush, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, history and sacred science. The Vedas with their manifold divisions, the institutes of Manu and the writings of other law-givers, sacred lores and their translations, poems and all that is said or sung are bodily forms of that Great Vishnu in the shape of sound. All kinds of things with or without form—here or elsewhere are the body of Vishnu. I am Hari; all this is Janārddana, cause and effect proceed from none else but him. He, who is cognizant of these truths, shall never be subject to the afflictions of worldly existence.Thus, O twice-born one, the first portion of the Purāna, has been related to you, hearing which one may be freed from sins. The man, who hears this, obtains the fruit of bathing in the Pushkara lake[232]for twelve years in the month ofKartik. O Muni, the celestials confer upon him, who hears this Purāna, the dignity of a divine sage, of a patriarch, or of a spirit of a heaven.[232]This lake is still to be seen near Ajmere.THE END OF PART I.
SECTION XXII.Parāçara said:—When Pritha was installed on the throne by the great Rishis the great Patriarch by and by conferred kingdoms upon other kings. He bestowed upon the moon the sovereignty of stars, planets, twice-born ones, grass, creeping plants sacrifices and penances. Vaisravana was made king over kings, and Varuna was made lord of waters. Vishnu was made the king of Adityas and Pāvaka of Vasus. Daksha was made the lord of Patriarchs and Vāsava of Maruts. And he conferred the sovereignty ®f Daityas and Dānavas upon Prāhlada. And Yama, the king of justice, was made the king of the manes (Pitris). Airāvata was made the king of many elephants, Garuda of birds, Vāsava of the celestials. Uchaisravas was made the king of horses and Vrishabba of kine. Shesha became the king of serpents, the lion, the monarch of the beasts and the holy fig-tree the king of the trees. Having thus divided the kingdom the great Patriarch Brahmā appointed divinities to protect the different quarters: he made Sudhanwan, the son of the patriarch Viraja, the protector of the east; Sankhapada the son of the patriarch Kardama, of the south; the immortal Ketumat, the son of Rajas, protector of the west and Hiranyaroman the son of the patriarch Parjanya, protector of the north. By these the whole earth, with its even islands and cities, was righteously governed, each confining himself to his own limit.All these and others appointed to govern the creation are but persons of the Great Vishnu, O foremost of Munis, All the kings who have been and who shall be, O foremost of twice-born ones, are the portions of Vishnu. The lords of celestials, the kings of the Daityas, the sovereigns of the Dānavas, the rulers of the demons, the kings of the beasts, birds, men, serpents, Nagas, the best of trees, of mountains, of planets—those that were, those that are, and those that shall be, are but portions of Vishnu who is identical with the universe. None else is capable of protecting the world, but Hari, the lord of all. O greatly wise ascetic, the essence of the universal creation exists in him and none else. The eternal Vishnu invested respectively with the qualities of foulness, goodness, and darkness, creates the universe, preserves it and destroys it. By a four-fold manifestation of himself he creates the world and in the same way preserves and destroys it. In one manifestation as Brahmā, the invisible (Vishnu) assumes a visible shape; in his second manifestation, he appears as the patriarch Marichi and others; Kāla is the third manifestation and all other beings constitute his fourth manifestation. Thus he becomes four-fold in his creation invested with the quality of goodness. The Deity in one portion as Vishnu, preserves the creation; in his second portion he assumes the shape of Manu and others; in his third portion he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus invested with the quality of goodness, the excellent Purusha preserves the universe. And invested with the quality of darkness at the end of creation the un-born Deity, in one portion, assumes the form of Rudra. In another portion he assumes the shape of fire—in another he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus in his four-fold form he is the destroyer of the universe. This is the four-fold division of the Deity, O Brahman, at all seasons.Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence.[231]That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.[231]i.e.Those who obtain this highest knowledge regarding the condition of Brahma are freed from future birthsi.e.they are not required any more to go through the cycle of births.There are two states of Brahma—one with shape and the other without it—one perishable and the other imperishable. These two states are manifest everywhere. As the blaze of fire, at one place, spreads light and heat all around so this vast universe is nothing but the manifestation of the energy of the undecaying and eternal Brahma. And as the light and heat are stronger or feebler proportionate to the distance of the spot, so the energy of Brahma is more or less manifest in beings as they are more or less remote from him. O Brāhman, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the most powerful energies of Brahma: next to them, O Maitreya, are the inferior celestials—next to them are the patriarch Daksha and others—next to them, men, beasts, birds and serpents and then the trees and plants each growing feebler proportionate to their distance from the Supreme God. In this way, the world, although eternal and indestructable, appears and disappears as if being subject to birth and death.The all-powerful Vishnu is but the manifestation of Brahma. He being invested with form, theYogisworship him at the very commencement. And the great ascetics, with their minds unagitated, in whose minds exists great spirit of devotion with the object to be meditated upon and along with the means for effecting it, endeavour to bring about mystic union with him. O great Muni, Hari is the most powerful of all the energies of Brahma, because he is the most immediate. And he is an embodiment of Brahma because he is composed entirely of his essence. In him the whole universe is interwoven—from him and in him is the universe, O Muni. Vishnu, the lord of the universe containing all that is destructable and indestructable, holds the creation material and spiritual with his ornaments and weapons.Maitreya said:—"Do thou relate to me how does the great God Vishnu hold the universe with his ornaments and weapons".Parāçara said:—Having bowed down unto the mighty and indescribable Vishnu I shall relate to you what was formerly described by Vasishtha, The Great Hari holds the pure soul of the world uncontaminated and divested of qualities like the Kaustava gem. The undecaying holdsPakritias Srivatsa mark and intellect exists in Mādhava in the shape of his mace. The lord holds the two-folded divisions of egotism namely into elements and organs of sense in the shape of his conch-shell and bow. He holds in his hand, in the shape of discus, mind which is the strength of all and excels wind in its flight. The necklace, of the holder of mace, namely Vaijayenti, contains five precious gems (pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond) being the emblems of the five elemental rudiments. Janārddana holds the faculties of action and perception in the shape of numerous shafts. The holy wisdom is the bright sword of Achyuta concealed sometimes in the scabbard of ignorance. In this wise, O Maitreya, Hrishikesha is the refuge of soul, nature, intellect, egotism, the elements, the senses, mind, ignorance and wisdom. And although Hari is without any shape, yet, he, for the behoof of mankind, in his dillusive form, embodies the elements of the world as his weapons and ornaments. Then the lotus-eyed deity, the lord of the universe, holds the nature and the universes. O Maitreya, true wisdom, ignorance, all that is transient, all that is everlasting, exist in the slayer of Madhu, the lord of all creatures. The time with its division of seconds, minutes, days, months, seasons, and years, is but the manifestation of the Great Hari. O Great Muni, the seven worlds, the earth the sky, the heaven, the world of Patriarchs, of sages, of saints, of truth are but diverse manifestations of his. His form is the whole universe; he is first born before all the first-born. He is the refuge of ail being; he is himself self-sustained; his various forms are celestials, men and animals. Therefore he is the supreme lord of all; eternal; he has a visible shape and is without it He is known in the Vedanta as the Rich, Yajush, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, history and sacred science. The Vedas with their manifold divisions, the institutes of Manu and the writings of other law-givers, sacred lores and their translations, poems and all that is said or sung are bodily forms of that Great Vishnu in the shape of sound. All kinds of things with or without form—here or elsewhere are the body of Vishnu. I am Hari; all this is Janārddana, cause and effect proceed from none else but him. He, who is cognizant of these truths, shall never be subject to the afflictions of worldly existence.Thus, O twice-born one, the first portion of the Purāna, has been related to you, hearing which one may be freed from sins. The man, who hears this, obtains the fruit of bathing in the Pushkara lake[232]for twelve years in the month ofKartik. O Muni, the celestials confer upon him, who hears this Purāna, the dignity of a divine sage, of a patriarch, or of a spirit of a heaven.[232]This lake is still to be seen near Ajmere.THE END OF PART I.
SECTION XXII.Parāçara said:—When Pritha was installed on the throne by the great Rishis the great Patriarch by and by conferred kingdoms upon other kings. He bestowed upon the moon the sovereignty of stars, planets, twice-born ones, grass, creeping plants sacrifices and penances. Vaisravana was made king over kings, and Varuna was made lord of waters. Vishnu was made the king of Adityas and Pāvaka of Vasus. Daksha was made the lord of Patriarchs and Vāsava of Maruts. And he conferred the sovereignty ®f Daityas and Dānavas upon Prāhlada. And Yama, the king of justice, was made the king of the manes (Pitris). Airāvata was made the king of many elephants, Garuda of birds, Vāsava of the celestials. Uchaisravas was made the king of horses and Vrishabba of kine. Shesha became the king of serpents, the lion, the monarch of the beasts and the holy fig-tree the king of the trees. Having thus divided the kingdom the great Patriarch Brahmā appointed divinities to protect the different quarters: he made Sudhanwan, the son of the patriarch Viraja, the protector of the east; Sankhapada the son of the patriarch Kardama, of the south; the immortal Ketumat, the son of Rajas, protector of the west and Hiranyaroman the son of the patriarch Parjanya, protector of the north. By these the whole earth, with its even islands and cities, was righteously governed, each confining himself to his own limit.All these and others appointed to govern the creation are but persons of the Great Vishnu, O foremost of Munis, All the kings who have been and who shall be, O foremost of twice-born ones, are the portions of Vishnu. The lords of celestials, the kings of the Daityas, the sovereigns of the Dānavas, the rulers of the demons, the kings of the beasts, birds, men, serpents, Nagas, the best of trees, of mountains, of planets—those that were, those that are, and those that shall be, are but portions of Vishnu who is identical with the universe. None else is capable of protecting the world, but Hari, the lord of all. O greatly wise ascetic, the essence of the universal creation exists in him and none else. The eternal Vishnu invested respectively with the qualities of foulness, goodness, and darkness, creates the universe, preserves it and destroys it. By a four-fold manifestation of himself he creates the world and in the same way preserves and destroys it. In one manifestation as Brahmā, the invisible (Vishnu) assumes a visible shape; in his second manifestation, he appears as the patriarch Marichi and others; Kāla is the third manifestation and all other beings constitute his fourth manifestation. Thus he becomes four-fold in his creation invested with the quality of goodness. The Deity in one portion as Vishnu, preserves the creation; in his second portion he assumes the shape of Manu and others; in his third portion he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus invested with the quality of goodness, the excellent Purusha preserves the universe. And invested with the quality of darkness at the end of creation the un-born Deity, in one portion, assumes the form of Rudra. In another portion he assumes the shape of fire—in another he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus in his four-fold form he is the destroyer of the universe. This is the four-fold division of the Deity, O Brahman, at all seasons.Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence.[231]That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.[231]i.e.Those who obtain this highest knowledge regarding the condition of Brahma are freed from future birthsi.e.they are not required any more to go through the cycle of births.There are two states of Brahma—one with shape and the other without it—one perishable and the other imperishable. These two states are manifest everywhere. As the blaze of fire, at one place, spreads light and heat all around so this vast universe is nothing but the manifestation of the energy of the undecaying and eternal Brahma. And as the light and heat are stronger or feebler proportionate to the distance of the spot, so the energy of Brahma is more or less manifest in beings as they are more or less remote from him. O Brāhman, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the most powerful energies of Brahma: next to them, O Maitreya, are the inferior celestials—next to them are the patriarch Daksha and others—next to them, men, beasts, birds and serpents and then the trees and plants each growing feebler proportionate to their distance from the Supreme God. In this way, the world, although eternal and indestructable, appears and disappears as if being subject to birth and death.The all-powerful Vishnu is but the manifestation of Brahma. He being invested with form, theYogisworship him at the very commencement. And the great ascetics, with their minds unagitated, in whose minds exists great spirit of devotion with the object to be meditated upon and along with the means for effecting it, endeavour to bring about mystic union with him. O great Muni, Hari is the most powerful of all the energies of Brahma, because he is the most immediate. And he is an embodiment of Brahma because he is composed entirely of his essence. In him the whole universe is interwoven—from him and in him is the universe, O Muni. Vishnu, the lord of the universe containing all that is destructable and indestructable, holds the creation material and spiritual with his ornaments and weapons.Maitreya said:—"Do thou relate to me how does the great God Vishnu hold the universe with his ornaments and weapons".Parāçara said:—Having bowed down unto the mighty and indescribable Vishnu I shall relate to you what was formerly described by Vasishtha, The Great Hari holds the pure soul of the world uncontaminated and divested of qualities like the Kaustava gem. The undecaying holdsPakritias Srivatsa mark and intellect exists in Mādhava in the shape of his mace. The lord holds the two-folded divisions of egotism namely into elements and organs of sense in the shape of his conch-shell and bow. He holds in his hand, in the shape of discus, mind which is the strength of all and excels wind in its flight. The necklace, of the holder of mace, namely Vaijayenti, contains five precious gems (pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond) being the emblems of the five elemental rudiments. Janārddana holds the faculties of action and perception in the shape of numerous shafts. The holy wisdom is the bright sword of Achyuta concealed sometimes in the scabbard of ignorance. In this wise, O Maitreya, Hrishikesha is the refuge of soul, nature, intellect, egotism, the elements, the senses, mind, ignorance and wisdom. And although Hari is without any shape, yet, he, for the behoof of mankind, in his dillusive form, embodies the elements of the world as his weapons and ornaments. Then the lotus-eyed deity, the lord of the universe, holds the nature and the universes. O Maitreya, true wisdom, ignorance, all that is transient, all that is everlasting, exist in the slayer of Madhu, the lord of all creatures. The time with its division of seconds, minutes, days, months, seasons, and years, is but the manifestation of the Great Hari. O Great Muni, the seven worlds, the earth the sky, the heaven, the world of Patriarchs, of sages, of saints, of truth are but diverse manifestations of his. His form is the whole universe; he is first born before all the first-born. He is the refuge of ail being; he is himself self-sustained; his various forms are celestials, men and animals. Therefore he is the supreme lord of all; eternal; he has a visible shape and is without it He is known in the Vedanta as the Rich, Yajush, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, history and sacred science. The Vedas with their manifold divisions, the institutes of Manu and the writings of other law-givers, sacred lores and their translations, poems and all that is said or sung are bodily forms of that Great Vishnu in the shape of sound. All kinds of things with or without form—here or elsewhere are the body of Vishnu. I am Hari; all this is Janārddana, cause and effect proceed from none else but him. He, who is cognizant of these truths, shall never be subject to the afflictions of worldly existence.Thus, O twice-born one, the first portion of the Purāna, has been related to you, hearing which one may be freed from sins. The man, who hears this, obtains the fruit of bathing in the Pushkara lake[232]for twelve years in the month ofKartik. O Muni, the celestials confer upon him, who hears this Purāna, the dignity of a divine sage, of a patriarch, or of a spirit of a heaven.[232]This lake is still to be seen near Ajmere.THE END OF PART I.
Parāçara said:—When Pritha was installed on the throne by the great Rishis the great Patriarch by and by conferred kingdoms upon other kings. He bestowed upon the moon the sovereignty of stars, planets, twice-born ones, grass, creeping plants sacrifices and penances. Vaisravana was made king over kings, and Varuna was made lord of waters. Vishnu was made the king of Adityas and Pāvaka of Vasus. Daksha was made the lord of Patriarchs and Vāsava of Maruts. And he conferred the sovereignty ®f Daityas and Dānavas upon Prāhlada. And Yama, the king of justice, was made the king of the manes (Pitris). Airāvata was made the king of many elephants, Garuda of birds, Vāsava of the celestials. Uchaisravas was made the king of horses and Vrishabba of kine. Shesha became the king of serpents, the lion, the monarch of the beasts and the holy fig-tree the king of the trees. Having thus divided the kingdom the great Patriarch Brahmā appointed divinities to protect the different quarters: he made Sudhanwan, the son of the patriarch Viraja, the protector of the east; Sankhapada the son of the patriarch Kardama, of the south; the immortal Ketumat, the son of Rajas, protector of the west and Hiranyaroman the son of the patriarch Parjanya, protector of the north. By these the whole earth, with its even islands and cities, was righteously governed, each confining himself to his own limit.
All these and others appointed to govern the creation are but persons of the Great Vishnu, O foremost of Munis, All the kings who have been and who shall be, O foremost of twice-born ones, are the portions of Vishnu. The lords of celestials, the kings of the Daityas, the sovereigns of the Dānavas, the rulers of the demons, the kings of the beasts, birds, men, serpents, Nagas, the best of trees, of mountains, of planets—those that were, those that are, and those that shall be, are but portions of Vishnu who is identical with the universe. None else is capable of protecting the world, but Hari, the lord of all. O greatly wise ascetic, the essence of the universal creation exists in him and none else. The eternal Vishnu invested respectively with the qualities of foulness, goodness, and darkness, creates the universe, preserves it and destroys it. By a four-fold manifestation of himself he creates the world and in the same way preserves and destroys it. In one manifestation as Brahmā, the invisible (Vishnu) assumes a visible shape; in his second manifestation, he appears as the patriarch Marichi and others; Kāla is the third manifestation and all other beings constitute his fourth manifestation. Thus he becomes four-fold in his creation invested with the quality of goodness. The Deity in one portion as Vishnu, preserves the creation; in his second portion he assumes the shape of Manu and others; in his third portion he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus invested with the quality of goodness, the excellent Purusha preserves the universe. And invested with the quality of darkness at the end of creation the un-born Deity, in one portion, assumes the form of Rudra. In another portion he assumes the shape of fire—in another he assumes the shape of time, and in his fourth portion he assumes the shape of all beings. And thus in his four-fold form he is the destroyer of the universe. This is the four-fold division of the Deity, O Brahman, at all seasons.
Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence.[231]That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.
There are two states of Brahma—one with shape and the other without it—one perishable and the other imperishable. These two states are manifest everywhere. As the blaze of fire, at one place, spreads light and heat all around so this vast universe is nothing but the manifestation of the energy of the undecaying and eternal Brahma. And as the light and heat are stronger or feebler proportionate to the distance of the spot, so the energy of Brahma is more or less manifest in beings as they are more or less remote from him. O Brāhman, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are the most powerful energies of Brahma: next to them, O Maitreya, are the inferior celestials—next to them are the patriarch Daksha and others—next to them, men, beasts, birds and serpents and then the trees and plants each growing feebler proportionate to their distance from the Supreme God. In this way, the world, although eternal and indestructable, appears and disappears as if being subject to birth and death.
The all-powerful Vishnu is but the manifestation of Brahma. He being invested with form, theYogisworship him at the very commencement. And the great ascetics, with their minds unagitated, in whose minds exists great spirit of devotion with the object to be meditated upon and along with the means for effecting it, endeavour to bring about mystic union with him. O great Muni, Hari is the most powerful of all the energies of Brahma, because he is the most immediate. And he is an embodiment of Brahma because he is composed entirely of his essence. In him the whole universe is interwoven—from him and in him is the universe, O Muni. Vishnu, the lord of the universe containing all that is destructable and indestructable, holds the creation material and spiritual with his ornaments and weapons.
Maitreya said:—"Do thou relate to me how does the great God Vishnu hold the universe with his ornaments and weapons".
Parāçara said:—Having bowed down unto the mighty and indescribable Vishnu I shall relate to you what was formerly described by Vasishtha, The Great Hari holds the pure soul of the world uncontaminated and divested of qualities like the Kaustava gem. The undecaying holdsPakritias Srivatsa mark and intellect exists in Mādhava in the shape of his mace. The lord holds the two-folded divisions of egotism namely into elements and organs of sense in the shape of his conch-shell and bow. He holds in his hand, in the shape of discus, mind which is the strength of all and excels wind in its flight. The necklace, of the holder of mace, namely Vaijayenti, contains five precious gems (pearl, ruby, emerald, sapphire and diamond) being the emblems of the five elemental rudiments. Janārddana holds the faculties of action and perception in the shape of numerous shafts. The holy wisdom is the bright sword of Achyuta concealed sometimes in the scabbard of ignorance. In this wise, O Maitreya, Hrishikesha is the refuge of soul, nature, intellect, egotism, the elements, the senses, mind, ignorance and wisdom. And although Hari is without any shape, yet, he, for the behoof of mankind, in his dillusive form, embodies the elements of the world as his weapons and ornaments. Then the lotus-eyed deity, the lord of the universe, holds the nature and the universes. O Maitreya, true wisdom, ignorance, all that is transient, all that is everlasting, exist in the slayer of Madhu, the lord of all creatures. The time with its division of seconds, minutes, days, months, seasons, and years, is but the manifestation of the Great Hari. O Great Muni, the seven worlds, the earth the sky, the heaven, the world of Patriarchs, of sages, of saints, of truth are but diverse manifestations of his. His form is the whole universe; he is first born before all the first-born. He is the refuge of ail being; he is himself self-sustained; his various forms are celestials, men and animals. Therefore he is the supreme lord of all; eternal; he has a visible shape and is without it He is known in the Vedanta as the Rich, Yajush, Sāma and Atharva Vedas, history and sacred science. The Vedas with their manifold divisions, the institutes of Manu and the writings of other law-givers, sacred lores and their translations, poems and all that is said or sung are bodily forms of that Great Vishnu in the shape of sound. All kinds of things with or without form—here or elsewhere are the body of Vishnu. I am Hari; all this is Janārddana, cause and effect proceed from none else but him. He, who is cognizant of these truths, shall never be subject to the afflictions of worldly existence.
Thus, O twice-born one, the first portion of the Purāna, has been related to you, hearing which one may be freed from sins. The man, who hears this, obtains the fruit of bathing in the Pushkara lake[232]for twelve years in the month ofKartik. O Muni, the celestials confer upon him, who hears this Purāna, the dignity of a divine sage, of a patriarch, or of a spirit of a heaven.
THE END OF PART I.