Krishna's Lineage

by Simon Brodbeck

  6 I want to know about all the holy one’s celestial adventures in heaven, great brahmin—in detail, just as they happened.

  7 Vaishampāyana said:

  First you must hear the particulars about Nārāyana’s functions, and then about how he enjoyed himself, together with Brahmā, after reaching Brahmā’s heaven. 8 But his path is subtle and hard for even the gods to follow, so while I’m relating what I can, you must listen to every word.

  9 This god contains the worlds, and the three worlds are made of him. He contains the gods, and the gods in heaven are made of him. 10 Everything that prospers on account of a god actually comes from Janārdana. Whatever comes from the gods should be seen to come from Madhusūdana. 11 The world that wise people know to be made of soma and fire is the world the Grandfather knows to be soma, fire, and Vishnu. 12 As yoghurt comes from milk, and ghee from yoghurt, so, as the elements are being churned, the world comes from Janārdana. 13 As the supreme soul is distributed through the senses and elements, so Hari is known across the Vedas, gods, and worlds. 14 As the acquisition of senses and elements is prescribed for those embodied on earth, so the acquisition of Vishnu as the master of one’s life is prescribed for the gods in heaven. 15 He’s the one who rewards the officiants for their session, for he alone is the purifier, the supreme soul who holds the cosmic framework in place. He’s honoured by Vedic hymns as if he himself were the sacred word. 16 Many fail to appreciate his extent and call upon others, but this Mādhava knows the extent of the worlds, and what’s beyond them.

  17 He dazzles the gods. The gods can only run around after him. Hear now what he did in Brahmā’s heaven on that occasion.

  18 Vishnu went to Brahmā’s heaven, inspected the Grandfather’s residence, and paid his respects to all the seers in the manner customary among seers. 19 First he watched the fire as the great seers made their offerings into it at the rite, and then the majestic one performed his own act of worship, as per the morning service. 20 During the ghee offerings he saw a double of himself standing there eating the sacrificial portion that the great seers presented.

  21 The inconceivable god made a tour of Brahmā’s eternal heaven, honouring the honourable seers of brahmin splendour. 22 He surveyed the sacrificial posts that the brahmin seers had erected for their rites—hundreds of them, all labelled and decorated with wooden rings on top. 23 He smelled the ghee-smoke and wandered around the place, listening to the Vedas that the brahmins intoned, watching himself being honoured with offerings. 24 The seers, the gods, the superintending priests, and the attendees at the sacrificial assembly all held out their arms with the guest-offering, and with their mouths covered by veils they said to him:

  25 You’re welcome, supreme lotus-navelled god of great glory. Accept this guest-offering that’s been consecrated with Vedic formulae. 26 You’re the master of this pure rite, you purify our foot-wash water, for you’re the guest mentioned in the Veda—to see him is always to honour him. 27 While you were away fighting, Vishnu, our rites weren’t performed, for when a rite’s not for Vishnu its performance isn’t prescribed. 28 And if you appreciate that you’re the one we’re honouring here, then you must also be the one to provide the reward for the rite, and for the gifts given to the priests.

  29 The holy one saluted the brahmins in return, and obliged. And the Grandfather Brahmā himself was delighted, there in Brahmā’s heaven.

  40. Vishnu Asleep and Awake

  1 Vaishampāyana said:

  After being praised by the seers, Lord Hari entered the ancient house of brahman: the celestial Nārāyana ashram. 2 Having taken his leave of those in the sacrificial assembly, and having paid his respects to lotus-born Brahmā, the first god, he entered the place in a good mood. 3 And as his holiness entered the Nārāyana ashram that was known by his own name, he put away his weapons.

  4 There he saw his own home, which was well looked after by companies of sprites, and by the eternal great seers. It looked like the ocean. 5 It contained the rainclouds that destroy the world, it contained the domains of the constellations, it was submerged in a flood of darkness and unassailable by gods or demons. 6 The wind had no dominion there, and nor did the moon or sun, but because of the lotus-navelled god’s beauty the whole place was filled with fiery energy.

  7 As soon as he’d entered the place he put up his bulky dreadlocks, assumed his thousand-headed form, and got ready for bed. 8 Sleep—the dark lady with the dark body and the eyes, who knows when the worlds will end—approached the great one. 9 Supreme among those who observe vows, Hari lay on his celestial bed, which was as cool as the clouds over the ocean, and he observed a vow called the single-ocean vow. 10 And while the great Lord Vishnu was sleeping, the gods and the ranks of seers paid him homage for the good of the world.

  11 As he slept, a lotus rose from inside his navel and shone like the sun—the home of Brahmā, the first god. 12 Even while he’s sleeping the great sage’s hands are busy pulling Brahmā’s strings, making the course of time revolve for all the worlds. 13 Clumps of creatures are blown out of his open mouth on the breeze of his snores. They come out of and go back into him in batches. 14 Once each batch of creatures has been emitted, Brahmā himself divides it into four groups,* and then each creature goes its own way, its conduct dictated by its own karma.

  15 Neither Brahmā himself nor the ageless brahmin seers understand Vishnu when he’s made of sleep, engaged in yoga, encased in darkness. 16 No, none of the brahmin seers accompanying the Grandfather understand that god, who’s sometimes asleep, sometimes sitting on his throne. 17 For who is awake in this matter, and who is asleep? Who is alive, and who doesn’t stir? Who has the pleasure? Who has the splendour? Who is it that’s darker than dark?

  18 People have become aware of that god through the celestial evidence in the Vedas, but they’ve been unable to worship him on the basis of his deeds and births. 19 Yet the seers who know his tale from the legends that tell of him expound it as the old story of old stories. 20 His ancient tale is heard even among the gods, and ever since that great old tale’s been told, it’s been the best tale there is. 21 His tale proceeds from his peculiar power, and since even the Veda knows of that tale, he pervades the texts both sacred and secular.

  22 During the period of creation, he works for the welfare of the worlds’ beings: Madhusūdana the Slayer of Madhu wakes up to destroy Dānavas. 23 The lofty one falls asleep at the end of the hot season, and while he’s asleep the gods are unable to perceive him, but he wakes up when the clouds disappear. 24 While Madhusūdana’s asleep the sacrificial rites purified by Vedic formulae don’t take place. His rites resume in the autumn when he wakes up. 25 And while Vishnu is asleep, Indra the lord of the clouds and smasher of citadels does Vishnu’s job and keeps the wheel of the year turning.

  26 Without warning, the secret power that stays in the world under the name of Sleep becomes hostile and horrible, a night of destruction for earthly kings. 27 Her body’s the door of darkness, the destroyer of nights and days, the terrible taker of half the life of everything on earth that breathes. 28 No one who’s subject to her can resist her onslaught: yawning again and again, it’s as if they’re sinking into the great ocean.

  29 For mortals on earth, Sleep is sometimes caused by food or by fatigue, but she’s normal for everyone at night. 30 The rule among those embodied on earth is that she disappears at slumber’s end, but that at their hour of death she suddenly stops creatures breathing. 31 Even among the gods, no one apart from Nārāyana has resisted her. This extraordinary power, the friend of all-destroying Time, is born from Vishnu’s body. 32 She’s the one who’s visible, lotus-eyed, in Nārāyana’s mouth.* She deludes creatures and takes possession of the worlds in no time. 33 And just as a faithful wife is maintained by an honourable husband, so this lady is maintained, for the good of the worlds, by the god of the dark path.

  34 So Vishnu the imperishable lay there, in the Nārāyana ashram, enveloped by the lady Sleep, bamboozling the world. 35 And as the great one s
lept, thousands of years passed by. The krita age passed by, and so did the superb tretā age, 36 but towards the end of the dvāpara the majestic one discerned that the worlds were in deep distress, and he awoke, to the praises of the great seers.

  37 The seers said:

  Lay aside your natural sleep, like a used garland. The gods here, together with Brahmā, are keen to see you. 38 These seers know the brahman, speak in praise of the brahman, and keep their vows, and they’re glorifying you, Hrishīkesha. 39 Vishnu, creator of the elements, listen to the honest words of the faithful elements earth, space, fire, wind, and water. 40 The seven sages and the companies of sages praise you truly, god, with charming sung eulogies. 41 Get up, lotus-navelled god of great glory, with your eyes like hundred-petal lotuses! There’s good reason to, because there’s a task that’s too difficult for the gods.

  42 Vaishampāyana said:

  Hrishīkesha brought the whole world into focus, and banishing the thick darkness he stood up, blazing with supreme glory. 43 He saw the gods and the Grandfather who had assembled and approached him for the sake of the world, all of them agitated and trying to speak. 44 Hari, his eyes refreshed from his sleep, addressed the gods with a speech full of sense, logic, and justice, a speech intended to elicit the facts of the matter:

  45 Who’s your quarrel with, gods? Where’s your fear come from? Who needs something doing, and how? Have I neglected something? 46 Surely there’s no infelicity at large in the world, caused by Dānavas, making trouble for humans? Quick! I want to know. 47 In the presence of those who know the Veda, I’ve left the supreme bed behind. What shall I do for you, intent as I am upon your welfare?

  41. Brahmā Describes the Earth’s Burden

  1 Vaishampāyana said:

  After hearing what Vishnu said, Brahmā, the Grandfather of the world, made a fine speech that was beneficial for all who lived in heaven:

  2 Vishnu, killer of demons. While you’re at the helm keeping the gods safe in war after war, they’re not in any danger. 3 While Shakra the chief of the gods is winning, and you keep killing demons, how could humans who give due consideration to their duties be in danger? 4 The humans are intent upon truth and duty and free of distress, and Death can’t inspect them until time’s passage permits.

  5 The rulers of the people and of the earth take one-sixth in tax, and they don’t secretly sow divisions against each other. 6 They treat their subjects well, so the taxpayers don’t criticise them. They spend wealth on those who don’t pay tax,* but they’re always refilling their treasuries. 7 Each one of them protects his own prosperous people with great patience, preserving the four classes properly without harsh punishment. 8 They’re duly honoured by their advisers, and creatures have no cause to fear them. Equipped with fourfold armies,† they employ the six strategies.‡9 All have mastered the martial arts, all are versed in the Vedas, and all make offerings at the proper times with rites that include generous gifts to the priests. 10 After honouring the Vedas with their preparatory ritual observances and the great seers with their chastity, they refresh their forefathers with hundreds of pure ancestral offerings. 11 They know the threefold lore, sacred, secular, and juridical. There’s nothing on earth that they don’t know— 12 they’ve realised the significance of the precedent and the consequent.

  Those kings are as brilliant as the great seers, and capable of making it the krita age again.*13 It’s because of their majesty alone that Vāsava rains favourably, the winds blow properly, the ten directions are free of dust, 14 the jewel-bearing earth is free of calamities, the planets keep to their orbits, the moon and the constellations perform their conjunctions auspiciously, 15 the sun makes its two journeys as it should, and the oblation-eating fire is sated by various offerings and smells sweet.

  16 Since no mistakes are being made, and the proper performance of duties is thus satisfying the whole earth, why would people be afraid of Death?

  17 As those mighty kings pursue each other, blazing with glory, the face of the jewel-bearing earth is trampled by their armies. 18 While being trampled by the kings, this broad earth has been worn out by their weight, and she’s come to me like a ship on the verge of capsizing. 19 Sweating, and welling up with tears again and again, she looks like she does at the end of the age, when the mountains that hold her down have been unfastened. 20 The jewel-bearing earth is quite worn out by the bodies and brilliance and power of the kshatriyas, and by the numerous nations of people.

  21 In town after town each king is surrounded by armies reckoned in the tens of millions, and in realm after realm there are numerous villages—hundreds of thousands of them. 22 Because of the thousands of mighty kings and their armies, and the kingdoms full of tens of thousands of villages, the earth has no space left. 23 Placing the god Death, emaciated and helpless, before her, she’s come to my home, Vishnu, and you are her last resort.

  24 For those who live there, this earth is a place of karmically significant deeds. She’s become distressed, but she mustn’t be allowed to perish, for she’s the eternal earth. 25 Her affliction could have very bad consequences, Madhusūdana: the world could be damaged, and the people could neglect their ritual duties. 26 She’s exhausted, that’s perfectly clear. Oppressed by a surfeit of kings, the steady one has abandoned her natural tolerance and become unsteady.

  27 We’ve heard this from her, and now you’ve heard it too. We’re consulting you with the aim of removing her burden.

  28 While the kings expand their kingdoms they all stay on the true path, and the other three classes of people are subordinate to the brahmins, 29 and everything that’s said is truthful, and the social classes are devoted to their duties, and all the brahmins are devoted to the Veda, and all the people are devoted to the brahmins. 30 So it’s in the interests of virtue for people to live in the world, and a plan must be devised to ensure that virtue isn’t destroyed. 31 This earth is the recourse of good people—there is no other—and if something’s good for her, it must be virtuous.

  Regarding the removal of the earth’s burden, the task is to kill just the kings. 32 So come, your eminence, so that we can take counsel together. We must make the jewel-bearing earth our priority, and travel to the summit of Mount Meru.

  42. The Speech of the Earth

  1 Vaishampāyana said:

  Vishnu simply agreed, in a voice that was like rainclouds on a stormy day. With a thunderous expression on his face, he set out with the others, like a mountain surrounded by stormclouds.

  2 Hari’s body was dark, and he wore a dark knot of dreadlocks that flashed with jewels and pearls, shining like the moon through clouds. 3 The glorious shrīvatsa, a raised stripe of curly hair, was resplendent upon his broad chest, curving in between his two nipples. 4 Hari the eternal guru of the worlds was a sight to behold, clothed in yellow clothes, like a mountain wrapped in clouds at twilight.

  5 As he travelled on the eagle, with lotus-born Brahmā mounted behind him, all the gods followed him, their eyes fixed upon him.

  6 Before too long they came to the jewelled mountain, and there the deities saw their very own hall of assembly, which can assume any form at will. 7 It stood on the peak of Mount Meru as bright as the sun, with golden-footed pillars and diamond-studded archways. 8 Crowned by clusters of flying chariots, it moved around as it pleased, decorated with jewels—its interior was a mass of jewels—and richly adorned with imaginative paintings. 9 Studded with cut jewels and festooned with the flowers of every season, it was heavenly. It was built by Vishvakarman All-Maker* and sustained by heavenly magic. 10 With joy in their hearts, the thirty gods all entered that handsome hall as directed, in order of rank and age.

  11 They sat down in the aforementioned flying chariots, and on chairs, thrones, stools, rugs, and cushions. 12 Then Vāyu the wind god, as politely directed by Brahmā, went all around the handsome hall asking for silence. 13 And when the assembly of those who live in the third heaven was quiet and still, the earth made her speech in a painfully pitiful voice:

 
14 In the beginning, long ago, this lotus-born god put me together. I was coated by two huge demons that he’d created earlier out of dirt.

  15 While this great Vishnu was asleep on the great restless ocean, those two were born in his ear-holes. They floated there, like two wooden walls. 16 As politely directed by Brahmā, Vāyu himself entered them, and then those great demons expanded, hiding the sky. 17 After Vāyu had invigorated them Brahmā took hold of them, and examining them each in turn he noticed that one of them was softer, and the other was hard. 18 So the water-born master gave them their names: the soft one (mridu) was called Madhu, and the hard one (kathina) was Kaitabha. 19 After they’d been named, those Daityas roamed across the whole world—the single ocean—proud of their power, spoiling for a fight, and completely fearless.

  20 Brahmā, the Grandfather of the world, saw them coming, and there and then he disappeared into the single ocean’s watery expanse. 21 Brahmā, the god with four faces, was satisfied with his hiding place, inside the lotus that had grown out of the lotus-navelled god’s navel. 22 Nārāyana and the Grandfather both stayed within the waters, resting in the waters for many multitudes of years without a care.

  23 Then, after a long time, Madhu and Kaitabha came upon the place where Brahmā was staying. 24 When the glorious lotus-navelled god saw those two terrible massive demons crazy for battle, he got up from his bed immediately. 25 Then, while the world was a single restless ocean, while the triple-world was all water, there was a fight between him and those two—a terrible 26 and tumultuous fight. Years numbering in the thousands went by, but still the battle didn’t wear the two demons out. 27 Then, after a long time, those battle-crazy Daityas spoke to god Hari Nārāyana with joy in their hearts:*

  28 We’re delighted by the way you fight. It would be to our credit to be killed by you in battle. Kill us—but not where the earth is flooded over with water. 29 And if we’re killed may we become your sons, supreme god. For we’re determined to become the sons of whoever defeats us in battle.